Responsibility to the Head or the Heart?
by starvedair
Summary: Penelope has been going out with Percy for almost two years now, and she's almost sure that she loves him, but when a new and improved Oliver Wood shows up for a new school year, Penelope must decide what kind of love she's looking for.
1. Falling For Feelings

Hey, this is my first fanfic ever, so please RR.

I hope you like it.

New chapters will be up soon.

Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter does not belong to me, I'm sorry to say. It's all the creation of J. K. Rowling.

"Yet another achievement for the Clearwater legacy. A family of Ravenclaw's, where being smart is in the blood and failure is worse than death. Penelope Clearwater, Head Girl, an amazing achievement that should be treasured, yet will only be another thing for her parents to brag about at their next party, not really realizing how much of an honor it is."

_Why do I even bother?_ I wondered if my parents would ever really see that Head Girl isn't something that's just expected, but something I've had to work surprisingly hard at. Somehow, it wasn't so much of an honor to me as it was a burden.

"At least you get to spend every hour of your day with Percy Weasley, and not have to worry about sneaking to an empty classroom at night to spend some 'quality' time." I frowned slightly for a moment as a pair of scraggly arms wrapped around me rubbing my breasts gently as they tried to make their way across my torso. I hadn't realized I had company, and wondered just how much was heard.

Recovering quickly, I smiled looking down at the pale freckled skintightly clinging to the bones. I almost felt sorry for how thin he was, but after a year of seeing it almost everyday, I was used to it.

Although we had dated for a year, Percy was still the uptight clumsy boy I had first gone out with. He tried to loosen up, be sexy and playful, but it wasn't him and he never really quite got the hang of it.

We were halfway up the stairs heading up to the common rooms while he still tried to hold me against him, but he tripped on the stairs, almost pulling me tumbling down.

I cried out, grasping for a hold of something but only clutching air. I heard Percy scream behind me and he let go. I imagined him flailing his arms about as he screamed in a panic.

Just as I was about to go down, a strong and firm grip caught me by the waist. Gasping, I tried to see who had saved me from a surely painful fall, but all I saw was a head of beautiful brown hair that fell over his face as he looked back at Percy who he had by the shirtfront.

Although Percy and I were both still gasping from fear, the boy seemed calm and placed us back flat on the steps. He continued to look down so that his hair draped over his face. I tried to find a way through to his face, but he kept his eyes down. Looking to see what he was gazing so intently at, I realized I was still clutching his arm.

"Oh, erm, sorry."I muttered.

'_Real smooth. Wait, what do I care, I have a boyfriend.' _I glanced back at Percy who was now performing a spell to smooth out his robes. He always has to look perfect...well, at least for his standards.

I looked back at the boy, but he had walked ahead, which gave me a great view of his backside. His body was shaped perfectly, with tight faded jeans and a tight black t-shirt. His arms were strong, and he carried himself with a confidence you rarely find. His hair was perfectly shaped in the back, and I could tell when he turned that it was also shaped perfectly in the front to frame his face. He walked with his hands in his pockets and slightly leaned backwards, which made him seem easy going.

For the life of me however, I couldn't figure out who he was. I pulled Percy along to try to catch up to the mystery man, and found him around the corner leaned against the wall. It was almost as if he were waiting for us.

"Thank you. We would have definitely been pulverized falling down that staircase." His hair was still draped over his face. His head was tilted downward, and had one foot up against the wall, his hands still in his pockets.

He slowly lifted his head in answering. "Yeah, no problem."

Ready to ask his name and where he was from, Percy cut in. I was shocked that he didn't use his Head Boy tone of voice, but talked with ease as if they were friends.

"Yeah mate, good thing you were following behind. Clumsy me. Oh well. I guess I should reward you for saving our lives. 10 Points to Gryffindor." Ooo, a Gryffindor. "Well done, Oliver."

"Ol-Oliver?" Oliver? OLIVER? As in Oliver Wood? This was the boy I was just drooling over seconds before? Wood?

He lifted his head high, finally, and I was able to see him fully. His facial features were slightly different, and for the better I might add. They were more sharp, yet still soft in a kind way, and he did seem more confident. This was not the boy I knew last year and for the past 6 years of my life. This was a man. His shirt showed off his toned quidditch body, with abs and a chest I'm sure Percy would never achieve.

I looked him up and down, realizing he was doing the same with his penetrating blue eyes.

Embarrassed, I looked away, then towards Percy, who was too busy shining his Head Boy badge to notice.

"Well, it's nice to see you again Oliver. How was your summer?" I tried to pretend I hadn't just been checking him out, and he seemed to be doing the same.

"It was fine. Father took me to some good quidditch matches of course, but I didn't really do much other than fly."

I could definitely see he did more than just fly. He changed into something much more than the ordinary quidditch addict Oliver Wood.

"That's good...that's good." Still refusing to meet his eyes for fear of never looking away, I grabbed Percy's arm, that is, _my boyfriend's_ arm, and started to walk him down the hall towards the Head Boy and Girl's dormitory.

"Oliver, why don't you walk with us? Gyffindor is on the way."

_Oh great_ Percy, you just _had_ to invite him didn't you?

'Stop being stupid, he would have to walk that way anyway.'

On the way, Percy talked all about his studies and what he hoped to accomplish this year, seeing as how it was our last, while Oliver and I quietly listened, and I'm sure, just as mine were, his thoughts were somewhere else.

I thought about my parents, and how I hated how I was just some academic trophy for them. I thought about my responsibilities being Head Girl, how life with Percy 24/7 was going to be, and of course, my studies for the year. However, no matter how hard I tried, my mind and my eyes kept shifting back to Oliver. Each time it was only momentarily, but each time I gripped Percy's arm tighter.

Neither of them seemed to notice. Oliver looked ahead in a daze, probably dreaming of quidditch, Percy rambled on, and we just listened to our own footsteps echoing and the sound of Percy's voice.

We would greet people occasionally, and I noticed every time we passed a girl, she would stop briefly, or stumble in her stride, her eyes would widen, and she would gaze astonished at Oliver. Personally, I couldn't blame a single one.


	2. Old Habits and New Rooms

Hey, this is my first fanfic ever, so please Rate and Respond!

I hope you like it.

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Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter does not belong to me, I'm sorry to say. It's all the creation of J. K. Rowling.

"Finally." Percy breathed as we reached the common room of our new home. We left Oliver outside and he had walked on to the Gryffindor dorms. As soon as the portrait door swung closed, Percy dropped his sack on the floor with a thud and pulled me in for a kiss.

His kiss was wet and sloppy, as usually, and he used way too much tongue, which I'm sure must hurt him at least a little bit. The first time he kissed me, I almost choked, and I'm sorry to say it hasn't gotten any better.

Finally he pulled away, and he gave me that impish Weasley grin. He was red, although I couldn't figure out what for, considering we were only kissing for about 20 seconds. Still, I smiled at him, because this was the Percy Weasley I knew and loved. He wasn't perfect, but then again, who was?

"So, shall we check out the bedrooms?" He asked with a sheepish grin.

"Why, Percy Weasley, you've never been this forward before. What's gotten into you?"

He looked away and turned as red as the Gryffindor crest on the wall. I almost laughed, but that would have made him feel worse.

"I'de love to." I breathed into his ear, which made him perk up and grab my hand.

He dashed up the staircase at the end of the room pulling me right behind him. I only had a brief second to inspect the room, and was shocked that he wouldn't want to do the same. It had the colors of Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, and they complemented each other beautifully. There was a couch and a love seat to face it, and in the center of the room a round table. The carpet was red, and the wallpaper had silver and gold stripes.

That was all I was able to see before he had me going up the stairs, which alternated blue and red, with twisted gold and silver handrails. He stopped momentarily between two doors at the top of the stairs that were across from each other. Looking at each door, he choose the one to the left and threw it open. Before I knew what was happening, he had me on the bed on my back.

His hands were exploring and I giggled as he touched some ticklish spots. His mouth was all around my neck tasting every inch. He was about to wander up the inside of my shirt, which I would have welcomed, but he hesitated and settled for caressing the outside.

I smiled imagining that he had waited years for this. Now that we had our own rooms, it was easier than sneaking around dark classrooms scared of being caught, and we wouldn't even dare do anything but share a quick kiss at his family's house, with all his siblings and his parents running about. Especially with Fred and George near.

Finally, he made his way to my mouth and I hungrily kissed back. My head arched upward trying to influence him to kiss better with my own kiss, which helped slightly, but he kept reverting back to his own "style." I could never bring myself to actually tell him he kissed badly, because I didn't want to hurt his feelings, but there were many times I was tempted.

Things were going pretty smoothly for my Percy kissing standards, when his head suddenly jerked up. I was bewildered, trying to get him to come back down to me, but he shook his head and stood up to charm his clothes into straightness.

"I forgot I wanted to talk to Professor McGonagall about this year. I'll be back later." He took the time to walk over to the mirror on the wall and fix his tie by hand.

"Well, I'll come with you then." I started to get up off the bed to join him, but he held up his hand and shook his head in his Head Boy manner.

"No, there's no need. I'll be back a little later. You just stay put. If I were you, I would get a head start on some studying. Well, good-bye love, see you in a bit." He quickly kissed me on the cheek and hurried out of the room. I heard the portrait downstairs swing open and closed.

Looking out the open door and raising an eyebrow I sighed. "Well then, it's a good thing I'm not you."

I stood up and patted my clothes out straight. I wasn't as much of a perfectionist as Percy, so I didn't care much how wrinkled they were, although I knew I would have to charm them before he got back so I wouldn't have to see his nose crinkle in distaste.

Looking around my room, I found my luggage was already neatly piled in a corner. The walls were a dark blue, and the bed was a canopy. It was some type of pure black wood, which was beautifully carved with ravens and intricate designs. The cloth draped over the top and sides was a see through metallic silver, and the bedspread was also a silver, with blue and silver pillows. The blue pillows were a velvet. The head and base board of the bed were raven wings that slightly curved around the sides, and the side of the bed that was against the wall was a giant carved head of a raven, that had one eye facing me. It looked like it was protecting the bed and watching over it.

The wardrobe was also made of the same black wood with the Ravenclaw crest that split down the middle to open the doors. The carpet was a dark blue, yet lighter than the walls. It was a much nicer room than the regular dormitory. If there was any point in being Head Girl other than to please my parents and the rest of the Clearwater bloodline, it was to have this room.

I quickly unpacked using my wand, which helped me finish in a matter of minutes. Grabbing a pair of jeans and a dark blue Weird Sisters t-shirt, I threw them on and walked downstairs with a book.

Flopping onto the sofa, a habit I knew Percy hated, I opened to my marked page and began to read. I was deeply concentrated on the story when I heard the portrait swing open. Looking up expecting Percy, my face dropped, as did my book.

Standing at the door of the common room, was no other than the new and improved Oliver Wood himself.


	3. My Boyfriends Best Friend

Hey, this is my first fanfic ever, so please Rate and Respond!

I hope you like it.

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Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter does not belong to me, I'm sorry to say. It's all the creation of J. K. Rowling.

Suddenly aware of my appearance, I stood up and straightened out my clothes slightly. I combed through my blonde hair with my fingers, and clasped my hands behind my back.

I started out looking at the floor, then slowly lifted my eyes to Oliver, who was still standing at the entrance. He looked at my in a puzzled way, and seemed slightly embarrassed, but overall, he looked unfazed. Little did he know how hard my heart my thumping.

"Erm, sorry for just walking in like that. I didn't know you would be on the couch or anything. Uh, Percy said I could stop by and grab a book I wanted to borrow. He gave me the password. I, uh, I'll leave if you want. I could just come back later..." he started to turn to leave, but I jump forward quickly and held my hand out.

"NO! I mean, um, you don't have to leave. You can go get the book. Up the stairs the first door on the right. That's Percy's room. He hasn't unpacked yet though. Go ahead."

"Ok, thanks." He started up the stairs without so much as glancing at me again, but I had my eyes glued on him the entire time until he was out of view.

Once he was gone, I felt like smacking myself.

_You have a boyfriend_.

I bent down to pick up my book and found the page I was on. I placed the bookmark back in and tossed it onto the side table. I sat back on the couch waiting for Oliver to come back down.

After several minutes, I finally heard his footsteps on the stairway. He emerged from the stairs and his eyes went directly to me. His hands were still in his pocket.

"I couldn't find it. I'll just have to wait till he unpacks. I didn't want to go through his things." _That was considerate_. "So, I guess I'll just come back around later. Thanks, Penelope."

He started towards the door, but he was much too intriguing to let him leave when I had him all alone. I wanted to know exactly what had happened to him over the summer.

"Well you know, you could just wait here until Percy comes back. I'm sure he won't be much longer."

He looked around the room then back at me. "I don't want to be in your way or anything. You probably want to get back to your reading." However, he didn't move towards the door, but stood there staring intently at me.

"No, no really. I'd much rather have someone to talk to. Books are great, but not when you have the opportunity to have actual human interaction." I giggled a little and he laughed. He had a nice laugh. It was smooth and easy. Percy's laughs were always short and almost strained.

"I know exactly what you mean." He flopped on the couch in a similar manner to how I usually do, and I sat across from him on the love seat. "I see you cut you hair. It looks really nice like that." My hands went straight to my hair. Over the summer I had but it chin length with layers and swept bangs. I saw a muggle picture of it, and although the girl had brown hair, it still looked good on my blonde hair. "So, how was your summer?"

"So-so, nothing really exciting. I'm sure yours would be more interesting. I spent a lot of time with Percy, but mostly he just wanted to get head starts on this years classes. Not much fun really. But at least I was able to spend time with him."

"What? You, no fun getting head starts on classes? I'm astonished Ms. Clearwater." He laughed again and I had to smile.

"Actually, I don't really like studying when I can get out of it. It's really my parents that I do it for. The absolutely love Percy. They wish more of him would rub off on me. Actually, that's exactly what I'm afraid of, him rubbing off on me. I don't want to be a study freak like him. I mean, I love him and all, it's just, sometimes he doesn't know how to just lay back and relax."

"Yeah I know what you mean." He stretched and put his hands behind his head. "Percy is my best mate and all, but sometimes I wish he would relax. He's not a very good quidditch partner. Always trying to hard and not letting it come naturally. But that's him, and that's what I accept him for. Wouldn't trade him for anything." I really liked talking to him. Finally, someone I could talk about Percy with who actually understands him. And at the same time, even if it wasn't about Percy, I was sure I could talk to him about anything at all. He just had that type of personality. With Percy, all it's ever about is studying and school. With Oliver, I could already tell he was different. I had never taken the time before to talk to him. There was never any real time to, although he was with me and Percy occasionally, he was quiet and tried to give us as much privacy as he could.

"So how exactly did you and Percy become friends? You seem so different." I had to ask him. He didn't seem like someone to become best friends with someone like Percy, although I'm sure he could be friends with anyone if he really wanted to.

"Well, to tell you the truth, I didn't like Percy all that much to start off with. He was just some book worm, and I was Oliver, Gryffindor quidditch player, popular guy in Hogwarts, everybody's best friend. But Percy and I were the only two Gryffindor boys in our year, so of course we spent plenty of time together, and after a while, we just sort of connected. I don't know, I guess you know how it just happens. You start to realize that the other guy isn't so bad after all. Just sort of get along."

"I see. I guess I can understand. It's just, I don't know, I would never in a million years think of you two as friends if I didn't know you both personally."

He laughed his smooth laugh again. I almost melted, but remembered Percy and stayed solid. I've known Oliver Wood for most of my life, and a new hair cut and great body will not change my feelings, even if I am finding out he's in fact a great guy.

"So you said you were everybody's best friend, and even though you always say 'hi' to a lot of people, I never actually see you with anyone other than Percy. Why is that now?" Oh Merlin, now I'm making this sound like an interrogation.

Even though I wish I could take back the way I had asked the last question, he didn't seem to notice and answered without hesitation. He stared up at the ceiling with his hands still behind his head and stretched over the couch. "Well, after a year or so, I just got tired of the whole 'popular' scene. You know, being with everyone, knowing everyone, hanging out with everyone. I mean, it's great having a lot of friends, and I am still friends with them all, but I really couldn't find anyone who I could connect with. No one I really cared to share an in-depth conversation with. So, I kinda drifted away and kept to myself. I got tired of talking about gibberish and decided I would just occupy myself with my own thoughts. People just assumed I was always concentrating on my next move for quidditch. You're actually the first person I've had a real conversation with in a while that I've actually enjoyed." He looked over at me and stared intently into my eyes. "I like it."

We stayed like that for what seemed forever, just gazing into each others eyes. I felt my face soften and smooth the stressed wrinkles in my forehead, and a smile played on both our lips. I felt compelled to him, drawn to him even, with the thought of Percy way in the back of my mind. I could have stayed like that forever.

I didn't even notice the portrait open until I felt a pair of cold hands on my shoulders and a sloppy kiss placed on my neck. I shivered and looked up to see Percy smiling, then back to Oliver to see he had already stood up and had his hands pockets.

"Oy mate, I couldn't find that book. Think you can help me?"

"Sure thing." Percy kissed me again and headed up the stairs to help Oliver. My gaze stayed with them, and this time Oliver turned back right before going up the stairs and gave me a smile that could have made my heart dance.

_Oh Oliver Wood, you are going to make some girl very happy one day._


	4. Different Tables Can't Stop My Stare

Hey, this is my first fanfic ever, so please Rate and Respond!

I hope you like it.

Tell your friends about it if you like it!

Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter does not belong to me, I'm sorry to say. It's all the creation of J. K. Rowling.

Oliver left with a nod and a good-bye, and it was just Percy and me again. I wouldn't say I was sad to see him leave, because it did make me pretty uncomfortable the way I was drawn to him, but there was a small pang in the corner of my heart when the portrait closed.

Percy strolled around the room, inspecting every corner, lifting up books or sheets of parchment, then finally made his way back to me.

"So did you and Oliver have a nice talk?"

Erm...just be cool Penelope. "Yes, he is very interesting once you get to know him."

"Indeed he is." He reached over to straighten out the book I had thrown onto side table. I couldn't help but roll my eyes and smile. Percy the Perfectionist.

Sitting down next to me, he reached over to place his arm around my shoulder. He grazed my breast, and in realizing so, rolled his hand into a fist as to not do it again. Leaning over in a way I assume he thought was sly, he began to kiss me. Sloppy and wet as always, and you could definitely tell he was trying to hard, but there was an innocence about his kisses and you could feel his love for me through his kisses, no matter how awkward they might be. I did love this boy. Because I knew how much he loved me. He really meant something to me with his devotion. How could you not love someone as devoted as he was? And when I had been petrified, I was told he was at my bedside every moment.

I was so engrossed in my thoughts and in his kisses, I was shocked when he jumped up suddenly. I sat there for a moment trying to comprehend what had just happened.

"You seem to be doing this to me a lot lately? Are you just trying to be a tease or so I disgust you in some way?" I mean, it was quite annoying. He can't just have me going like that then suddenly stop without any notice whatsoever. That's just not fair.

"Oh, come now, don't be silly love. We have to get down to the Great Hall for the feast. As Head Boy and Girl, we can't be late. We should actually be there already." He told me in his Head Boy tone, talking to me as if I was a student he was reprimanding. I looked up at the clock and saw we had _at least_ 15 minutes before we should be there, and we would have still been there before the rest of the students. He was so infuriating sometimes.

I watched him as he straightened his clothes and hair with spells until he finally realized I didn't budge.

"What's the matter? You still have to change back into your robes."

"I have plenty of time." God, I was so stubborn sometimes.

"Oh come _on_ Penelope. If you wanted to snog some more you should have told me _before_ I straightened my robes." He thought that was why I was mad? Wait, then why was I mad? Oh yes, because he always has to be so uptight and perfect.

I still wouldn't budge. He let out a great sigh as if I was some uncooperative child. "Ok, _fine_, we can song a little bit longer, but you'll have to lean in and stand up, I don't want to have to go through the process of tidying my clothes up again." He leaned forward on his tippy toes and puckered his lips waiting.

He looked absolutely RIDICULOUS, and I was not about to stoop so far as to get a kiss.

"UGH! You are so INFURIATING sometimes!" I cried out and stomped up the stairs to get changed. I didn't even look back at him.

I reached me room and snatched up my uniform I had put out on the bed. Just as I was adjusting my tie, I heard a small voice call my name from the doorway.

"Penelope? Love?" I turned, still angry, to see a weak looking Percy in the doorway. He had rumpled his hair so it looked a mess, and his robes were wrinkled and thrown about around him sloppily. He had a shy smile on, and a face that absolutely said 'I'm sorry.'

I couldn't help but smile and run to his arms. For Percy Weasley to bring himself to make a mess of himself, he must love me. I ran my hand over his hair and held him close as I kissed him. I dominated the kiss this time, and I could tell he was shocked, as was I, that it was so good. It wasn't wet, not sloppy at all, just enough tongue, and I was sure the passionate love was radiating off of us.

When I pulled away, he looked shocked. I pulled his hand and led him down the stairs. I was about to push the portrait open when he pulled away. Of course he had to straighten himself out again before we left. I didn't expect him to reveal that he, Percy Weasley, was capable of looking sloppy.

We arrived at the Great Hall, and found that only one student was there before us. To my surprise, it was no other than Oliver Wood. He was seated towards the center of the Gryffindor table and was leaned over reading a book. He looked up to see us and quickly tucked the book away into his robes, smiling at us.

None of the teachers were even there yet, no I decided to walk over and say hello before finding my place at the Ravenclaw table.

"Hello Oliver, long time no see." I said as pleasantly as possible. I was determined to become friends with him.

"Hello to you Penelope, Percy. I was surprised to see you weren't here yet. I'm so used to being the first one to arrive with Percy, I just it was just force of habit to come down early." Ha! So Percy didn't want to get here early just because we were the Head's. He's ALWAYS come down here early! Percy the Perfectionist.

I looked at Percy who turned beet red, realizing I had figured him out, and he gripped my hand harder. I squeezed back, and he looked a little less embarrassed.

"So, enjoy your dinner you two. I'll see you after." I strolled away to two of my Ravenclaw friends who had just walked in. They squealed when they saw me and ran over. We took our seats, mine on the side where I could face Percy. We smiled at each other, then my friends started to talk my ear off. Mostly about their summers, asking how mine was, and how Percy was, until the sorting hat ceremony and Dumbledore's speech.

He went on about the Dementors and Sirius Black, which was all old news to me. I didn't listen especially, since I had been briefed in my letter informing me of my Head position. I just stared over at Percy, who had his eyes glued sharply on Dumbledore, and nodded slightly with everything he said. That was Percy, so serious, always the adult before it was necessary.

After a while I couldn't stand to look at his stern face anymore, and decided to let my eyes wander to everyone. They didn't get very far however, because the second the shifted, they landed on Oliver.

He sat there, not really listening either, and staring at the air towards Dumbledore's direction. He moved his lips from side to side, obviously bored. I was entranced by his every movement, till he slowly turned his head and found me staring at him. The second our eyes met, I gasped and my eyes grew wider. I wasn't sure what to do, now that he had seen me staring. He looked puzzled, but then smiled at me. His confident smile that I'm sure would have made my knees go weak if I had been standing.

I smiled back, and we made faces at each other for a while. We let out small giggles but covered our mouths. When Dumbledore finished, we both quickly snapped our heads back to the front to clap politely with the rest of the school.

The feast appeared in front of us, and we all began to eat.

"So Penelope, how's Percy been? I see you two are both the Heads this year." My friend Suze asked across from me.

"Oh, he's fine. Yes, it's great finally having our own place." I smiled slightly but both she and my other friend to my right, May, smile broadly.

"I bet." May began. "So, I see that you're taken, but what about us? We still need to find a guy. Hey, how about that Harry Potter hmm? Have either of you seen him yet? He gets better looking ever year." She and Suze both nodded and laughed loudly.

"Ew, May, that's disgusting. He's a third year." I swear, sometimes my friends were just ridiculous.

"Yeah sure, but he's accomplished more than anyone else has in this school. And in the whole wizarding world that matter." She stated matter of factly, in her high pitched voice.

"Well, my eye isn't exactly on Potter, but there is another Gryffindor who's looking pretty sweet this year." Suze started. _Oh no, please don't._ "That Oliver Wood sure has grown up a lot of the summer, don't you think?" _Ugh, she just had to._

"Ooo, yes he has. GREAT body. I mean it always, but now its even better. And that HAIR! OO! I wish I could run my hands through it!" May and Suze both roared with laughter, but I only looked over at Oliver and Percy.

Oliver was cutting a steak, with his head bent slightly forward, nodding at whatever Percy was gibbering on about now. His nodding didn't stop, so I got the impression he wasn't really listening, but more of just making Percy feel like he could talk about anything he wanted. Oh, why Oliver Wood, do you have to be so quiet and beautiful? Why can't you be someone like...like...Marcus Flint? Rude and Hideous. Not warm, kind, gorgeous, and everything that any girl would want?

"Penelope? PENELOPE? Are you listening to us?"

"Hm? What did you say?" My attention snapped back to their conversation.

"We were just talking about Oliver Wood. Good looking huh?" _Not exactly that words I would use to describe him._ "I was thinking of maybe going after him. What do you think?"

What! Go after him? NO!Wait, what did I care? I have Percy after all don't I?

"Um, yeah sure, go after him. I believe he's available."

"Hm, maybe I should. HEY! Do you think you could help me out? I mean, Percy is his best friend and all. It would be so great! You can tell me everything he likes, and I can say I like it too! I'll have him by the end of the week!" Wow, sometimes Suze could be really shallow.

"Um, no Suze, I don't think that would be a good idea. I mean, Percy would probably tell Oliver, and then he would know what you were up to. You don't want that do you?" Hm, yes, this seemed logical. She would have to believe it and then I wouldn't have to help her. Ugh, I'm a horrible friend.

"Hmph. Yeah, you're right. Percy is such a prat. He would tell. Oh well, no matter, I'll just get Oliver on my _own_ charm." She squealed again in laughter, but I was outraged.

"Don't talk about Percy that way! How dare you! That's my boyfriend!"

"Hey, don't take it so personally Penelope. It's not like I called you a prat or anything. I mean, Percy _is_ a prat. Admit it, you probably wouldn't have gone out with him if I wasn't going out with George Weasley at the time and told you how great the Weasley's kiss." She laughed again and this time May joined.

"And we _all_ know how wrong you were about that! I guess kissing _isn't_ in the blood!" May mused and they both started roaring again.

That just wasn't true though! She had told me that the Weasley's kissed well, but that certainly WASN'T why I agreed to see Percy. It was because of him. He was so smart and we were perfect for each other. It just made sense for us to go out.

I was so outraged by them, I was at a loss of words. Instead I gave them both harsh glares and stood up from the table. I hadn't finished eating, but I had lost my appetite. Storming out of the Great Hall, I glanced at Percy and Oliver to see them both giving me quizzical looks. I kept on though, and slammed the tall doors behind me.

Leaning on the wall outside the doors, I buried my face in my hands and took deep breaths. Sometimes I truly did hate my friends.

I stood like that for a minute or so until I felt a soft hand on my shoulder. I looked up happily expecting to see Percy. It was so sweet of him to come out of dinner to comfort me. I knew how much he enjoyed the feasts on special occasions. However, instead of seeing a pale freckled face in front of me, I saw something that took my breath away.

An mere 5 inches from my face, was a very concerned looking Oliver Wood. His blue eyes filled with fear for my well-being, he searched my face for an answer.

"Hey, are you ok? What's wrong?"

Oh boy, was he gorgeous when he was worried.


	5. A Night To Remember

Hey, this is my first fanfic ever, so please Rate and Respond!

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Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter does not belong to me, I'm sorry to say. It's all the creation of J. K. Rowling.

"Wh-where's Percy?" Was all I managed to stutter. He still hadn't lifted his hand from my shoulder, and had to bend slightly to be eye level with me. I realized that he was at least a head taller than Percy and I, who were the same height.

"He wanted to stay to talk to Dumbledore. I decided to come out see if you were alright." He still seemed worried, searching my eyes for clues. "He's, uh, he's really worried too though."

_I'm sure he is_.

"Oh. Well, thank you."

"It's fine. How are you though? You looked so upset. Are you ok? What happened?" he finally lifted his hand and straightened up, waiting for my answer.

I decided not to tell him the entire story, so just got directly to the point. "My so-called friends, were making fun of Percy." I said the last part quietly, afraid he would disapprove greatly of my choice of friends, then think that I was like them.

Instead, he just sighed and nodded. "Is that all?"

"Erm, Yes."

"Well, you shouldn't really worry too much about that. I mean, sure it's a horrible thing, and I don't mean to sound like it's nothing, but everyone makes fun of Percy in one way or another. He doesn't really open up to people, so all they see if the outside, and even you have to admit, it's not always very appealing even to us." _Isn't that the truth_. "But, in a way, it's almost good for Percy. Every time someone says something about him, it just pushes him to strive to be something better. He works harder and harder. He has something to prove. That he's the best, and nobody can beat him. So yes, in a way, the little ridicule here and there helps him."

He was right. He truly was. I looked into his eyes and smiled as he smiled back. He made me feel so much better. About _everything_. I always thought that it was quidditch 24/7 running through his mind, but obviously I was wrong. There was something deeper there, a kind of wisdom that Percy would never have. He was amazing and it shocked me.

A small tear fell from the corner of my eye, and he wiped it gently away. Then he placed both hands on my shoulders and bent down again so he was inches from my face.

"Ms. Clearwater, you truly are a good person for caring so much." _No I'm not._ If only he knew the thoughts that ran through my mind about him and not about Percy.

We stood there looking at each other. Me, with a longing from somewhere deep inside me, and him, with pure sincerity. Finally, I pressed my body against his and embraced him in a hug. It was all I could do to get away from those penetrating eyes.

My body fit perfectly against his. It was as if every curve on both our bodies were made for each other. My head rested against his chest and I held him as he held me back with his firm strong arms. His cheek rested on the top of my head, and our breathing became one. It was purely a hug of friendship, to say thank you, but I longed for it to be more.

All I could do was whisper softly, "Thank you, Oliver."

His response wasn't in words, but he rocked me ever so gently. I never wanted to let go. Unfortunately, he was the first to pull back.

I looked away momentarily, but he cupped my chin with his thumb and forefinger to have me look at him again. He smiled when I did, and reached into his robes. Curious, my head tilted to the side until he pulled out a silk handkerchief. It was red with gold trimmings. He unwrapped it to reveal two large muffins.

"I grabbed them before I left. I saw you hadn't finished, so I figured you'd still be hungry." He explained.

"Thanks. You were right." I felt my stomach growl, but I definitely didn't want to go back into the Great Hall.

"Come, let's not eat in the corridor. I know a place great for a quick meal. We can talk. Get to know each other better. I know Percy would like that." Percy! Oh Merlin, I truly am a horrible girlfriend! I forgot all about Percy.

Oliver grabbed my hand and led me to the front doors. He let go momentarily to open them, then grabbed my hand again to lead me out.

The sky was a dark blue, dotted with stars that illuminated the sky and a half moon just above the quidditch pitch. "I guess we shouldn't be going outside at night, but I assume as Head Girl, you'll give us both permission?" He smiled and I laughed as he held my hand and led me along one of the pathways. He swung my hand gently, holding the muffins in his other hand. We walked silently for a while, both just enjoying the air and the stars.

Finally, after a few minutes, I realized where we were. We were approaching the quidditch pitch, and even at night I could see Oliver's face light up. I assumed that he had missed it over the summer. No matter how much more depth I had learned in this short time about Oliver Wood, I still knew that he had a burning passion for quidditch.

"How appropriate. The quidditch pitch." I smiled at him and he looked down at me, his happiness shining from his face.

"I hope you don't mind. I know the best seats where we can watch the stars." He looked away for a minute then looked back at me. "Same old Oliver Wood I guess, huh?" he looked almost embarrassed.

"No, this is a very different Oliver Wood, and I must say, I think I like the idea of getting to know this one." I smiled at him and touched his arm with the hand he wasn't holding. He smiled back, and seemed to relax.

He led me to the seats he had talked about. To my surprise, they weren't as high up as I had though and they weren't at one of the arches. They were right in the middle, towards the side, where we had a great view of the lake, the castle, the grounds, and of course, the sky. I imagined him throughout all his year, just sneaking out to the pitch at night and walking around it.

We sat down side by side, and surprisingly close. We both looked a little nervous at our closeness, but neither moved away. He handed me a muffin along with the handkerchief., and pulled out two shrunken cups and a shrunken bottle of pumpkin juice. He took out his wand, muttered a spell, and they were returned to normal size. Placing them both on the bench in front of us, he poured the pumpkin juice into the goblets, toasted his muffin to me, and pulled off a piece, popping it into his mouth.

I did the same, and watched him for a minute. He concentrated on his muffin, but nervously glanced at me, realizing I was watching him. When he did, I looked up at the stars. It really was the best view I had even seen on the pitch.

"Wow Oliver, you weren't joking about the view."

"Yeah I know. I found this seat in my fourth year. It may sound weird, but I would sit in a different spot every night and just lay back and watch." His voice sounded misty as he reminisced over his past years.

"For you, it doesn't sound weird at all." I nudged him with my shoulder a bit and we laughed.

There was a cool breeze that gently blew his hair out of his face, and I admired his features in the moonlight. He was without a doubt the most magnificently beautiful person I have ever seen.

I picked at my muffin. Being with him, I suddenly wasn't as hungry, and only broke off small pieces.

"So Oliver, tell me more about your summer. There must be more than just quidditch games with your father and flying. Don't take this the wrong way, but it looks like the summer did you good." I didn't mean to sound forward, but we were so close at the moment, and I really did want to know.

"Well, there were of course the summer romances." My heart dropped. That was not what I wanted to hear. "But of course, each lasted about 2 hours until I realized she had nothing to talk about and was only after one thing." My eyebrows raised as I looked at him. "Which you can be assured, I did not give a single one of them." That's a relief. "Then there was being with Percy, which wasn't a lot of the time, since he was busy preparing for Head, and spending time with you, and of course his usual studying. I told you about the quidditch matches with father, and of course I practiced my own quidditch playing. But really, most of the time I would just sit or fly around and think. It's our last year, and I thought about what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. There's always quidditch of course. I love it, it's my passion, and there will be plenty of offers for the Captain of the Gryffindor Team, but to tell you the truth, I don't know if that's what I want to do with my life. I don't really know what I want. I love music. Writing songs, singing, and playing. But, I don't know if I would be able to make it in that world either. Well, enough about the tragic teenage angst, tell me about your summer."

I had no idea that Oliver went so deep. I would have thought that he would go with quidditch no matter what happened. I liked how he was so open with me, because I was sure he didn't share these feelings with anyone. "Well, my parents threw tons of parties, bringing Percy to every single one, to show off their daughter's genius boyfriend. I couldn't stand it. I hate how I'm some trophy for them. The only reason they approve of Percy is because of his academics. There was being with Percy, but like you said, he's always so worried about his studies and preparing for being Head, which I didn't understand, because I didn't have to do anything to prepare for it. I could see him standing in front of a mirror with his badge and robes, standing tall practicing his tone of voice and how he was going to talk down to all the students who misbehaved or challenged his authority. That was it really. The rest of the time, I guess I just spent reading and think like you." While I was talking, we had slowly inched closer to each other till we were merely inches apart.

"So, Mr. Oliver Wood, you said that you wrote songs and music. Sing me something." I barely whispered as we looked into each others eyes.

He started to sing a slow melodic song that played at my heart strings. His voice was smooth and something I had not expected. It made me weak and fall for him even more.

"He has a good grip on your heart.

As I barely touch your shirt.

The closer he gets to you

The further we move apart.

It's like a curtain has fallen

Blocking out the sound of me calling your name.

He stands between us

And I don't want to play his trust.

I know that I can just leave.

Turn my back and shut the door.

But my heart cannot dismiss

After that first...

Kiss..."

He trailed off and spoke the word 'kiss' in a short breath and our lips we just seconds from touching. His thumb and forefinger cupped my chin, and I was all too willing to let our lips meet. Suddenly we were swept in a freezing breeze that chilled my bones and made my spine go rigid. Shivers were sent through my body as Oliver pulled sharply away jerking his head in every direction looking around.

Instinctively his arms wrapped around me as he asked, "Does it suddenly feel cold to you?"

"Y-yes." I stuttered, shocked at his embraced, but still fearful of the sudden coldness.

"Oh no..." He trailed off and looked my fearfully straight in the eyes. We froze in that position with our lips gaped and horrified expressions.

"Dementors." I finished his thought.

"Come on! We have to get out of here NOW!" He grabbed my hand and pulled me up, knocking over the goblets and bottle of pumpkin juice. We dashed down the stairs to the ground and fled the quidditch pitch. Running down the pathway to the castle as fast as we could, he still hadn't let go of my hand. I made the mistake of looking back and seeing at least 30 black figures racing towards us through the air. I stumbled on a rock and almost went plummeting to the ground, but Oliver caught me and swept me off my feet. He held me against his body tightly as he ran and I griped his neck with both hands. I buried my face into his shoulder, but kept my eyes uncovered to stare at the advancing figures.

Oliver held me with ease as if I was as light as air, and dashed up the steps to the front entrance. Opening the door, he jumped inside and slammed it shut behind him.

"They won't dare follow us into the castle. We're ok now." He breathed heavily and leaned against the door after he put me down. He shut his eyes and let his head fall for a split second before his head snapped up again and his attention went directly to me. "Are you ok? Did you get hurt? Do you feel alright? I can take you to Madam Pomfrey if you'd like."

"No, no I'm fine. Thank you though. You were wonderful. I would have surely fallen hard and we both would have been caught by them if you hadn't grabbed me. Thank you." He smiled bashfully, yet still proud, until we both remembered what was about to happen before. We both looked away embarrassed and not quiet sure what to do next.

I really am I terrible girlfriend. How could I have done that to Percy? Well, technically I didn't actually do anything...but NO, that didn't matter. Technicalities don't count. I definitely would have done it...and if the time came again, I probably would do it again. Oh MERLIN! I AM a terrible girlfriend. How can I say I truly love Percy if I was about to do that with his best friend?

I wondered what Oliver was thinking, and when I looked at him, he looked just as troubled and disturbed as I was. I felt absolutely horrible now.

"Maybe I should walk you back to your room." He said, and started to walk ahead as I nodded in silent agreement.

Dinner had already let out, and the halls were empty, so there was nothing but the sound of our own footsteps to keep us company. Thoughts raced through my mind, all terrible of course.

What if Percy found out? Can I really remain his girlfriend after what I almost did? Would I ever be able to look him in the eye again? But most importantly, the question that kept coming back no matter how many times I pushed it away: Does Oliver feel the same way about me that I feel about him?

Although I wasn't sure exactly what it was I felt for Oliver, I knew it was something much different than what I felt for Percy. I had always assumed that my feelings for Percy were love, but how could I be so sure, since I had never been in love before?

"Well, erm, have a good night." Oliver bit his lip and looked worried. It was the least at ease I had seen him. I couldn't really blame him at all though.

"Yes, you too then. Good-night." He nodded and started to walk away, but stopped and stood in his spot with his back turned to me for a minute. He took a deep breath, and turned his head to the side to look at me. He started looking at the floor, then slowly raised his eyes to meet mine. We stood like that for a minute, then he turned , and walked at a quickened pace down the corridor. My eyes stayed with him till he rounded the corner.

Entering the common room, I pressed my back to the portrait after it closed. I put my hands into my robes and felt something smooth against it. Pulling out Oliver's handkerchief, I rubbed the smooth red silk and gold trimmings in between my fingers. In the corner, it had a small embroidered O in gold thread.

I decided that I should probably try to forget tonight as much as possible. It was the only way to go one with life as normal. I would tell Oliver that too in the morning. I'm sure that that's what he would want, and everything would go back to normal. We would just be friends, and I would still be with Percy.

But I soon realized my plan wasn't going to work, because as I tried to forget, I held the silk to my chest and sighed heavily, realizing that I had just experienced the most romantic night of my life.


	6. Back to Duties

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Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter does not belong to me, I'm sorry to say. It's all the creation of J. K. Rowling.

"There you are! Finally! We were supposed to start patrolling the corridors over 5 minutes ago. Come on, let's go."

_5 minutes?_

Percy stomped down the stairs and towards the door. He adjusted his Head badge, looked me over once, decided that I needed my robes straightened, performed the charms without asking my approval, and pushed open the portrait door. He didn't even ask me if I was alright.

By the time I recovered from his bluntness and exited the portrait, he was almost at the end of the corridor. I stood watching him for a moment, and he seemed to realize I wasn't following. He turned, tilted his head, stuck out his hip, placed his hand on it, and started to tap his foot impatiently.

I made my way over to him slowly, mostly just to see his reaction.

"You know, you should really take you Head duties more responsibly. Almost everything we've done today, we've been tardy with. I don't mean to sound nasty, but it's mostly because of you. I don't appreciate the fact that you are making me look so bad." He talked to me in his Head Boy tone as if I were an insubordinate student.

"Don't you talk to me that way Percy Weasley. How dare you treat me like it's my fault completely. Don't you even care what happened to me after I left the Great Hall? Don't you care where I've been? Do you care about anything other than being Head Boy? There are some things that are more important!" I grabbed his arm to make him stop to talk to me, but he shrugged me off and kept his pace.

"We're already running late, so we can't just stop and chat. If you want to talk, do it while you walk. And that's another thing. You can't just storm out of the Great Hall that way. First of all, it looks bad and irresponsible. You looked like some dramatic school girl, which I would have thought is above you. And secondly, we are supposed to be there after everyone lets out. We're supposed to make sure everything goes smoothly and all student get back to their dorms or take care of whatever business they may need to without wandering throughout the halls. Don't let that happen again." He continued his fast pace toward the other common rooms, and didn't even glance at me as he lectured me. Instead of caring about my feelings, he cared more about how I made him look. Was he just like my parents? Some sort of trophy that reflected him?

"You are so...so...COLD! I stormed out of the Hall because I was DEFENDING you! I can't believe you didn't even care enough to come see if I was alright. _SOME_ things are more important that your DUTIES and how people LOOK at you! OLIVER was the one who came out to help me, and you weren't even the one who sent him! He came out of the kindness of his own heart, and you didn't even care! I could have hexed myself and all you would care about is that they would have to find a new Head Girl, and if she would be more _responsible_ than me!" I was so angry, I was screaming at the top of my lungs and my shouts were echoing throughout the corridor. The halls were empty, but I wouldn't have cared if they were packed with students at the moment.

"Please Penelope, keep it down." He went on in Head Boy tone which only fed my furry. "Why did you think you had to defend me, much less storm out of the Hall? Sure, that's sweet of you, but do you really think I care what people say about me as long as they respect me? Just because Oliver was the one who went out doesn't mean I didn't worry. But I had to talk with Dumbledore, and Oliver is just one of those people who needs to be sure everything is okay. Too soft if you ask me. And of course I would care if you died, I mean, I love you and everything, but we _do_ have responsibilities that we must attend to _before_ our own wants and needs."

We were at the Hufflepuff common room, so he gave the password and we went through the door. He reprimanded four students for being too noisy, and even took of 10 points when they didn't listen to him immediately. I stayed quite, and grew angrier by the minute as he yelled at students for the simplest things that I'm sure he did when he was in their years. He ordered them to keep the noise level down and go to bed immediately after finishing their work, which I truly hope that they wouldn't abide by, because I wanted them to have fun as well as do good in school. Percy exited first, and as I looked back at all the unhappy faces following us, I whispered back to them awarding them their 10 points back, which brightened all their faces.

Next we went to the dungeons, deciding to visit our own houses last. The thought of the Slytherin house gave me slight chills, but I knew I would have to visit it every night. Regardless to what Percy may think, I knew my responsibilities, and I would follow them.

"This is going to be _so_ much fun." Percy mused as we walked past the statue into the common room.

"Hey look everyone, it's the Heads! Hey Percy, getting any good _Head_ action lately?" Someone called from the couch, making me furious, but Percy just stiffened. I was shocked that he didn't immediately take off house points, so I took it upon myself to do so.

"15 points from Slytherin for being so crude!" I snapped over in the direction of the couch, since I wasn't sure which one exactly made the comment.

"Whatever you say, sweetheart. I just hope that private Head Dorm you have isn't going to waste." Someone over by the bookshelves cooed, and there was another uproar of laughter. Still, Percy stood rigid, and if it wasn't so dark in the room, I could have sworn he was blushing.

"Another 10 points!" I yelled, wanting to slap every one of them, even Percy.

"Hey honey, if you ever get bored with the Weasel over there, come on down here to the dungeons, we'll show you a good time. We know he's probably as lacking in the bedroom as he is poor." A curly haired boy sitting on a table called from over by the fireplace, and this time Percy beat me to the punch.

"20 points off!" He shouted, and this time I was sure he was turning red. I couldn't believe him, unless there was a direct insult to him, he didn't care to take off points or react in any way other than turn the famous Weasley Red.

The room exploded in laughter, and all I wanted to do was leave, so I took charge.

"I want every one of you into you room tonight before midnight. If I find out any one of you was up afterwards, it'll be 20 points off each." I knew my threats were meaningless, because there was no way I would find out if any of them were up after midnight, and I was certainly not coming down here again unless it was necessary. "Now finish whatever you need to do, and get to bed. I mean _all _of you. Even the Prefects."

"We'll be in our beds, but remember our offer. We'll be up waiting for you." Someone blew into the back of my hair and nuzzled in behind my ear, licking my earlobe. My eyes widened and I snapped around to face a tall, thin boy with jet black hair and piercing eyes. His face was pock marked and his sneer made me sick.

I instantly whipped out my wand and put a freezing hex on him. His body went rigid and his arms wrapped around himself. Starting to turn blue, his teeth chattered and he fell to the ground trying to keep himself warm.

I stared at him satisfied for a few moments, until I realized dozens of slowly advancing angry faces. Startled, I quickly lifted the hex and frightened, the boy ran over to the fire to warm himself.

Percy and I made our last threats at the glaring faces and retreated to the door, eager to leave. Going down to the Slytherin House was definitely something I was going to dread all year.

Once we were out of the dungeons, I turned on Percy, this time making him stop to listen.

"Why didn't you defend me? Why? Didn't you care that they were openly mocking and disgracing me? What was wrong with you?" I wanted to smack him, but thought better of it, because I knew he would just go about moping for the rest of the week.

"I-I did defend you. I took off 20 points! All at once!" His face went red, and even he knew he was lying.

"You defended yourself! You didn't take off points until they directly insulted you. What, were you embarrassed? Wondering yourself what we would do in the dorm alone all year? Hm? Tell me Percy, because I _really_ want to know. I understand that you require respect as much as you require oxygen, and that you always need to be perfect, and always abide by the rules and be held in high standards, but you should have more compassion and love for you own _girlfriend_! You shouldn't treat me like an acquaintance, even if we are in Hogwarts again, you should treat me like your girlfriend, what I happen to _be_!" I was outraged, hurt, and embarrassed all at once. I didn't know what to think. He always said he loved me, but I wasn't sure if he knew what true love was.

I'm not even sure if I knew what true love was. I told myself everyday that I loved Percy, but how could I know for sure if I had never been in love before? Maybe I did love Percy, but was I _in_ love with Percy?

"I'm sorry Penelope. I hesitated in there, but that was it. I do love you. I'm sorry if you think I've been treating you badly since we've been back, but this is stressful for me. I've worked so hard since first year to become Head Boy, and now that I am, I'm torn between my duties and you. I know that I should choose you more often, but you know me. Same old Percy. Old habits die hard. I really will try harder to be at your side. I already try so hard. I love you with all my heart. I don't know what I would do if I lost you." Held clasped my hand together and held them to his lips. My eyes softened, as did my heart, but I hadn't fully forgiven him yet. "Please, if I ever mess up again, do what you're doing now, bawl me out, because I deserve it. If I ever do you wrong Penelope, you should hex me yourself. Maybe I don't deserve you, but I know that I would fight for you. I need you as much as I need my respect and oxygen. Without you, there's no future for me. You _are_ my future."

His eyes were sad as he looked at my hands, and then at me. I did love Percy. He was my compliment. I couldn't find the words to express how grateful I was for him, so instead I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him in for a long passionate kiss. Of course, the passion was mildly muffled by Percy's sloppiness, but none the less, it was a kiss of love. We stayed like that for a long time. I tried to run my hands through his hair, but they got tangled in his tight curls, so I pulled my hand back and settled for stroking his hair.

He was the first to pull away, and insisted we get back to our duties. This time, we walked hand in hand.


	7. Last Stop, Gryffindor

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Ravenclaw was surprisingly quiet. Even though I was disappointed, I can't say I was surprised. Being the House known for knowledge, everyone was always acting older than they really were. That meant being responsible and going to bed early. I don't think the House had ever thrown a party. I'm sad to say, it was actually quite boring living here sometimes.

There were only about four students in the common room, 2 third years, a second year, and one first year. The second they saw us, they were quick to retreat to their rooms.

"Oh, we're sorry. We'll get to bed immediately. We didn't realize it was so late. Have a nice night." The third years smiled and headed up to their rooms.

The other two began to follow suit.

"Oh no, wait, you don't have to go yet." I certainly didn't want them to stop whatever they were doing just because we had shown our faces. "We were just going to tell you to be in bed soon, but you don't have to go right now."

The first and second year hesitated, glancing at both Percy and I. Unfortunately, Percy had to open his mouth.

"No, no Penelope, if they want to be responsible enough to go to bed now, let them. They'll be grateful for it in the morning. There's no need really to stay up. Go on now, up to your rooms." Their shoulders sagged slightly and they trudged up the stairs.

"Percy, why did you have to do that? You know they're allowed to stay up if they want to. As long as they're in the dormitory, they are allowed to be awake. You always have to be so pushy." I was sad to see them go. I wanted to ask how the rest of the House was doing. Even though it could sometimes be a bore, I already missed it slightly.

"Oh come now Penelope, it's good for them to go to sleep early. They can concentrate better on their studies tomorrow. After all, it will be the first day of classes and they need to be sharp and alert. I wish some of the Gryffindors would have some more initiative to get to sleep earlier. Most of the time I would be the first to get to sleep. No wonder why I had the best grades." The corner of his lips curled slightly up, in a half grimace and half smile.

Sometimes I wondered why Percy was chosen to be a Gryffindor. It probably should have been the other way around, with me as the Gryffindor and him as the Ravenclaw. But, the sorting hat never makes a mistake. I suppose someday we'll see why we were chosen for these houses. I suppose since my entire family was in Ravenclaw, and his entire family was in Gryffindor, it was just expected. But he wasn't anything like the rest of his family, and I certainly wasn't anything like the rest of my family. Maybe in the wizarding world, blood really was seen as something more important than the individual.

"Come on, let's just go." I looked around the empty common room with a look of longing and regret. I wanted to stay here and relive the past years, but I also wanted to be part of something else that Ravenclaw could never give me. Maybe that was why I had chosen Percy. Because he was supposedly part of something I wanted. He was supposed to have the courage and bravery it took to be a Gryffindor.

"Penelope? Penelope is that you down there?" I heard someone call from upstairs just as we were about to leave. May emerged from the stairway in her fluffy dark blue robe and matching slippers. "Penelope! I'm so glad to see you. The dorm hasn't been the same today with you here."

"Hello May." I wanted to be warm and friendly with her as always, but my greeting came out cold, remembering the scene in the Great Hall earlier. She detected my coldness and faltered in her stride. She slowed and was more cautious when approaching me.

"Oh Penelope, please don't be angry about earlier. _Please_? We didn't mean it. Really. We're both so sorry. We never meant to make you upset." She glanced at Percy, and I panicked, not wanting him to hear any details.

"Percy, honey, why don't you wait outside? I won't be long." He looked annoyed, but after an exasperated look and a heavy sigh, he left and the portrait closed behind him. "Alright May, if you have something to really say now, say it."

She looked down, still detecting my coldness. "Well, we really just wanted to say we were sorry. Suze went to sleep earlier because she was so upset over everything. She's really sorry, and so am I. But remember, when Percy first started to take interest in you, Suze did say that about the Weasleys, and the next day, you and Percy were together? Well, we always just assumed that was why. I mean, we know that you love him now and stuff, but we just thought that you could joke about it, since it was the reason."

"This is _not_ helping you, May. That's not the reason I went out with Percy in the first place and you know it." My anger was growing, but I resisted the urge to storm out of the room. I wanted to hear what else she had to say.

"Ok, ok. I understand. I guess you're right. You're not someone to go and do that. Are you really mad at us? We never meant for it to get like this. I'm sorry. Suze is sorry. Are we still friends? You're our best friend Penelope, we don't want to lose you." Tears came to her eyes, and I couldn't help but forgive her. They were my best friends after all.

"Yes, I forgive you. But _please_ stop saying bad things about Percy. I love him. I really do, and I don't like to hear those things. Especially from my best friends." She rushed over and hugged me. I guess that was the end of the fight then. "So, quickly, tell me what I missed today."

"Well, other than how sorry she was that you were upset, all Suze talked about was Oliver Wood." She giggled, but that wasn't exactly what I wanted to hear. For some reason, although I should be happy for Suze's new love interest in such a great guy, my heart sank as May went on. "Yeah, it's almost as if she were talking about her boyfriend. She's absolutely mad about him. I mean, bloody hell, it's only been a day back and she's already obsessed. She doesn't see it that way though, she really likes him. Gonna do anything to get him, she is. My prediction, by the first Hogsmead trip, they'll be walking hand-in-hand." She giggled again, and I tried to smile. I know I'm a horrible friend for this, but I hoped to Merlin that her prediction didn't come true.

There was a slight tap on the wall next to the entrance, and I turned to see Percy peeking in. "Penelope, we really must go, we should have been finished by now. Come now." He left again, and I hugged May.

"I'll see you at breakfast tomorrow."

"Alright, goodbye then."

"Yes, now get to bed, big day tomorrow."

Joining Percy in the hall, I took his hand again and started off towards the Gryffindor common room. I didn't realize it till he pointed it out, but my pace had picked up and I was almost speed walking.

"Why are you so anxious to get to Gryffindor?" He asked with a slight smile.

"Well, like you said, we're late. Also, I'm excited to see it. I want to see were my Percy grew up these past years."

That brought a proud smile to his face. "I think you'll enjoy it. If you ask me, I think it's the nicest dormitory in all of Hogwarts."

I smiled, and believed myself when I said I just wanted to see where he grew up. We arrived at a picture of a Fat Lady, and Percy looked around happily. He must have missed this at least a little.

As he looked around at everything, surely remembering past events, I grew impatient and said the password myself, dragging him in as soon as the portrait opened.

I looked around excitedly. It really was nice dorm, but I didn't see the nicest thing of all, what I had came for. The room was empty. I saw the remnants of one of Fred and George's projects splattered on a table by the bookshelf. The table had partially melted underneath it. I smiled, thinking that it could possibly become a treasured monument in the room for years to come, but Percy made his way over to it shaking his head. Muttering a spell, the table was restored to it's natural self, and all traces of their project was gone.

I was disappointed to see it go. Obviously, I wasn't the only one.

From behind a chair facing the fireplace, I heard a strong yet soft voice, although I couldn't see who it belonged to. Although I couldn't see a face, there was no doubt in my mind who it was.

"They're not going to be very happy about that Percy. There will be hell to pay now."

"Well, Fred and George can take it up with the headmaster. I'm sure he'll be pleased to know that they are ruining Hogwarts property."

There was a heavy sigh from the chair again, and a hand stretched out to place a book onto the small side table resting against the side of the chair. Slowly, a full head a brown hair rose and smiled at me. I smiled back at Oliver, who then turned to Percy and shook his head.

"Well, I'm sure they'll both go to you first, but I'll pass along the suggestion of Dumbledore. How are you?" He directed the question at me, but Percy answered immediately.

"Late. We got a late start, but, I suppose it was worth it." Percy smiled broadly at me, and I blushed a deep red that must have matched the red in the common room. "How are you doing here all alone Oliver?"

"A little lonely, but I waited up to see you two. I almost thought you weren't coming, but then that would be very unlike, for Percy Weasley to ignore his duties. I was about to out looking for you, because you would surely be in grave danger rather than be late." He smiled again. He wore a comfortable looking ruby red robe over red and white striped pajamas. His hair was tossed, but almost in a neat way that still complimented him. I'm sure his hair would look great no matter what he did with it. His feet were bare, and I knew that was a trait Percy hated. He even bought me a pair of slippers this summer because I hadn't had a pair.

As if on cue, Percy commented on his feet. "Oliver, you'll catch your death without anything on your feet." Oliver and I exchanged quick smiles, obviously thinking the same thing. He rocked his feet on the thick red carpet.

"I think I'll live. So, I'm sure you two will be coming here every night. I get awfully lonely. The only boy in my year, you know I have that room to myself. I might just die of boredom if I have no one to talk to." He dug his hands into the pockets of his robe and continued to rock on his feet.

"Of course we'll come every night mate. It's our duty." Percy quickly answered, inspecting the table to be sure of no spills missing his spell.

"Gee, thanks Percy. So good to know you actually care about _me_." Oliver smirked and turned to me. "Hey Penelope, you've been pretty quiet over there. Come on and have a seat while Percy makes sure the Dynamic Duo didn't cause any more damage to the room." I made my over to a comfortable looking armchair next to his facing the fire. "Hey Perce, I'm pretty sure they were working on that all night, so there's probably nothing else. They went to bed after it exploded."

"Thank you Oliver, but I think I know my brothers. Better safe than sorry. Please, no nicknames." Percy had his back turned inspecting through every book in the bookshelf next to the table. We both shook our heads looking at him.

"Well, ok then. I think they were over by the staircase for about 30 seconds earlier today." Oliver smiled, obviously joking, but Percy's head snapped in the direction of the stairs. He quickly put the book back where it was and made his way to the stairs, closely inspecting every inch.

We both winced at him, then shook our heads and turned to each other. It was rather uncomfortable for a moment, remembering the quidditch pitch, and neither of us knew what to say. I decided to talk first, but then Oliver decided the same at the same moment.

"Listen, Oliver..." "Listen, Penelope..."

We both smiled, and turned away, again trying to figure out what to say. I was still thinking when he took my hand in his and pulled my face towards his with his thumb and forefinger, just the way he had at the pitch, right after the song...


	8. Walking Out Without My Heart

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He turned my face around so we faced each other. Surely he couldn't mean to finish what we had started earlier...especially with Percy in the room. Could he?

His eyes looked up and down my face, and at that moment I would have given anything to be able to caress his soft features. But instead of have our lips touch, he let go, glanced at Percy, and whispered to be sure he couldn't hear.

"Listen, I know we both got in pretty deep earlier tonight. And maybe...no definitely..." _Yes?_ "It was a mistake. I mean, it was great and everything, but you're dating my best friend. If there's one thing I truly know about him, is that he loves you. I don't want to do anything to bring him any pain. I can tell you care about him too. You two...belong together." His face contorted almost in pain and he looked away sharply. My heart sank and my jaw dropped. But, that was exactly what I was going to tell him right? Why did this hurt so much?

"You're...you're right. It must have just been the night air that go to us. You're right." Neither of us could look at each other. Oliver let go of my hands, and we inched further away from each other in our chairs.

Still not looking at me, he mumbled, "Yeah, thank Merlin for those Dementors." My eyes grew sad and I felt my bottom lip quiver.

"Dementors? What's this I hear about Dementors?" We both jumped up and looked at each other. Percy was standing behind our chairs looking down at us.

I quickly stammered an excuse. "We-we were just talking about...about Sirius Black. Bad man. Thank goodness for those Dementors."

"Oh yes, I know exactly what you mean. You know sometimes..." He leaned closer and lowered his voice. "Sometimes I think they should take Harry out of this school. I know he's saved it before, and he's saved our entire world before and all, but these things wouldn't happen if he wasn't here. I mean, this Black certainly wouldn't be around here if Harry wasn't. His education is putting us all in danger. There are plenty of capable wizards that can teach him in some private secluded area where he wouldn't bring harm to anyone but himself. I mean, Harry is a great kid, Ron's best mate, I like him, but you know, we would be a lot safer if he was only brought out when You-Know-Who comes around."

"Percy! That's a _HORRIBLE_ thing to say. Harry has done more for this world than almost any wizard. He should be treated with much more respect than some animal kept in a cage until we need him. Besides, the things he's done in this school alone he has done on his own merits. No one knew what was really going on other than him and his friends, so how would we know when to have him help us? Percy Weasley, that may be one of the worst things you've ever said, for many reasons." I was shocked that Percy even thought such things. Harry was a person, not some spell to hold in the back of your mind whenever you need it. I looked at Oliver who was nodding his head in agreement with me.

"I agree mate, Harry is more than just something to call up whenever you need a saving. He's my seeker no less. He's a person. You should give him a more credit. Without him, we may all be dead."

Percy was quite taken aback that we had not agreed with him. Instead of defending himself or changing his mind, he just walked toward the exit. "Alright then, I suppose you're right. We should be getting back however. Come now, Penelope. Goodbye Oliver. See you in the morning. I hope you're able to wake yourself up without my shaking you till you open your eyes."

"Not to worry Percy, I brought along a special device just for the occasion of sleeping alone. An alarm clock." I smiled, but Percy just looked confused.

"I'll explain it on the way back Percy." He shook his head and left the common room, leaving Oliver and I alone again.

"So, I guess I'll see you in the morning then. Have a nice night." He looked just as uncomfortable as I was.

"Yes well, goodnight." Neither of us moved.

"Um, well, maybe we shouldn't talk about what happened tonight. We can start over. Pretend it all never happened?" He looked sad again. The pain in his eyes brought pain to my heart.

"Yes, that would be for the best I suppose. We just shouldn't talk about it then."

"Right." We looked at each other for a while again, both not moving and inch. I heard Percy call from outside the open portrait, although he was nowhere to be seen.

I was about to leave, when Olive leaned in quickly and gave me a quick kiss on my cheek. It was warm and sent waves through my body.

We looked at each other and I nodded, understanding it was supposed to be a kiss of friendship. I slowly started towards the portrait, but turned back just before leaving. He still hadn't moved and had his eyes focused on me.

"Although we shouldn't talk about it, I just want you to know, it was fabulous night. The best I've ever had." His face brightened, and I walked out of the Gryffindor portrait. My mind guided me over to Percy, but my heart stayed back in that picture with Oliver.


	9. My Place With Percy

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I took my place that everyone said I was perfect for; next to Percy. I'd never be seen as anything other than that. Not even by the one person who I thought could maybe understand. Even he wanted me with Percy.

But if everyone saw me with Percy, and I could even see a future with Percy, then why was I so disappointed? I was even willing to suggest the same thing before Oliver had. I suppose that since he was the one who suggested it, it just hurt that much more. Would I have actually gone through with it if he hadn't first?

Maybe I was so disappointed, because the future I saw with Percy, was not one that I wanted.

"You know Penelope," Percy's voice jerked me out of my thoughts, "I think that we should split up our patrol duties. I mean, we already got a late start today, but look how long it took us. Students could be running around crazed by the time we finished!" _Somehow Percy, I highly doubt that._ "Together, we take way too long. We need to be more efficient. I think that we should spilt up the houses. It's practical. I could take Slytherin because, personally, I think you would be eaten alive in there. I know that you can handle yourself, but you know Slytherins. They always have some sort of trickery to get what they want."

"Alright, I suppose splitting the duties are reasonable. You can have Slytherin. It's not like I would want to go down there anyway." Maybe some away time from Percy would be a good thing. We would be together almost every minute this year, and some privacy could probably get to be like gold. Besides, maybe being away would also strengthen the relationship. I loved Percy. I had to. I was so sure of it this morning, I'm positive that I still do. Nothing happened with Oliver, so what Percy and I had still had to be strong. Real love couldn't fade away in a matter of hours.

"Good, I'm glad you agree. Now of course you'll be able to take Ravenclaw. I'm sure you'll want to see your friends every night, considering you won't exactly see as much of them during the day."

"Oh, thank you, Percy." He smiled warmly at me and bent down to give me a kiss on the cheek. I smiled to myself. This is the Percy I love. I know that I love him. He's always considering me.

"Of course. However, I think that I should take Hufflepuff. From what I've seen tonight, they might show to be somewhat of a problem. Now don't take this the wrong way Penelope, but sometimes you don't know how to set down your foot. You have to be able to take charge, and let them know who's boss. I'm not afraid to take points off for insolence, and you tend to give too many chances. Therefore, you can take Gryffindor." He stated as if that was the end of the discussion.

I don't know how to set my foot down? I can't take charge? What did all that mean? _Considering me,_ HA! Sometimes, he could get so low I could look down at him. Wait, I get Gryffindor? NO, that would NOT work.

"Percy, I can't let you take Hufflepuff and not Gryffindor. It's your house. And I saw the way you were looking around when we were outside the door. You're going to miss it just as much as I would miss Ravenclaw. I can take Hufflepuff. They really aren't a problem at all. They're good kids. Sometimes though, you're just too demanding. I'm sure I can handle them. You need to see Gryffindor. I know you need it." I could not go back to Gryffindor every night. It was just as bad as Slytherin now. Besides, I could see in Percy's eyes that he loved the Gryffindor house.

"Well, I suppose you're right. But I think that I should still take Hufflepuff. Also, I see you've become mighty close to Oliver." _WHAT?_ "So it's not like you would be going there for nothing. You two can become good friends now. We can all be good friends." He smiled broadly, and I seemed to shrink. My lips formed more of a grimace than a smile. "I know! We can alternate nights. I can take Gryffindor one night and you can take it the next. We could both go there, and I would also be able to go to Hufflepuff every other night. I think that I should take Hufflepuff first tomorrow though. To get things a little more firm there before you go. That way they won't be so much of a problem."

His idea made him even more excited, but made me even more queasy. I certainly did not want to have to go to Gryffindor alone, even if it was every other night. But how could I say no without telling Percy a good reason? There was nothing I could do.

Thoughts of Oliver swarmed around my head and I had to grab Percy's arm to keep steady. He tried to wrap his arm around my shoulder, but it was to scrawny and he couldn't quite get a grip on my shoulder, so he let in drop and we kept walking.

I had to do something to get these thought of Oliver off my mind. So I did the only thing I could do. I grabbed Percy and roughly turned him to face me. He had a shocked expression, but I didn't give him time to recover before I threw my arms around his neck and planted my lips firmly on his. I sucked lightly on him lower lip to get him to open his mouth, and when he did, I snaked my tongue in until I found his.

After he realized what was happening he tried to take control. I felt him put pressure against me to try and influence the kiss, but I wouldn't let him. I pushed against him harder and pushed the back of his head so his lips connected with mine even harder.

He was still sloppy, and the kiss was wet, but it was definitely the best once we had ever experienced together. It was absolutely the best he had ever had, because I knew I was his first girlfriend. When we pulled away, he gasped for air and his eyes were wide.

"That..." gasp "was..." gasp "really good." He managed to sputter out.

I smiled at him. I supposed he like what he saw in my face, because he hugged my with all his might, but what he didn't know, was that I was trying desperately to hide my disappointment. No matter how hard I tried to concentrate on Percy, or how good the kiss might have been with Percy standards, I couldn't get Oliver off my mind.

The entire time, I wondered, how would Oliver's kiss be?

I really am the worst girlfriend ever...or maybe it's just that I haven't found the right boyfriend...


	10. Alone In My Room?

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Thanks to everyone for the reviews! They're really great. I hope you enjoy the rest of the story. More chapters will be up soon. Keep Reviewing! I really enjoy reading them.

Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter does not belong to me, I'm sorry to say. It's all the creation of J. K. Rowling.

Arriving at our room, I started to feel the exhaustion of my first day back. It was certainly the most eventful first day I ever had. Actually, it was the most eventful _day_ I had ever had. I followed behind Percy as we trudged up the stairs to our bedrooms, my head down and arms limp. I wasn't looking and stumbled backwards as I walked right into a rigid standing Percy.

Confused, I stared up at his concerned face. My eyes searched his expressions for a clue as to what was troubling him, and I started to feel a little nervous myself.

_What could possibly be wrong now?_

I stood with a questioning and slightly annoyed expression and waited for him to voice his concerns. Instead of speaking, his eyes shifted to both bedroom doors, then back to me.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes and let my body slouch. If it had been a few hours earlier, I would have dragged him into my bedroom myself, but now, I wasn't exactly in the mood to spend the night in the same bed.

I know it's horrible, since I just gave him what was probably his best kiss ever, but I would rather have just climbed into bed and went to sleep.

Instead of giving into him, I forced a half smile, leaned in to give him a kiss on the cheek, and pushed him slightly towards his own door.

"It's late Percy. I'm so tired." He was never good at hiding his feelings. I could see in his face the moment I let out my first three words that he was extremely disappointed. I didn't want him going to sleep feeling that way. "Besides, first day tomorrow, we don't want to be completely exhausted. We have to be ready to...learn." He perked up at that and nodded in complete agreement.

"You're right. We definitely need to be fresh and ready tomorrow. We especially need to be early, since we were late doing everything today. Can't be staying up all night now. If you're not up tomorrow, well don't worry, I'll just wake you when I get up." He nodded at everything he said as if he were the one trying to convince me we should just go to sleep. Instead of arguing, I decided to just agree and let him go to his room.

I was about to say goodnight when a frightening thought struck me. "Percy, no! You don't have to wake me up when you wake up. I'll be able to wake on my own. Not to worry, I always wake up on time. We won't be late I promise, I'll wake up." I definitely didn't want him to wake me up. There was certainly no need to wake up at 5:00 with him when breakfast didn't even start till 7:00.

"Well, alright then, if you're sure. But if you're not _at least _up by 6:00, I'm waking you up. Well, good-night love. Have a nice rest." He leaned in to give me a kiss on the cheek, but almost fell on top of me when he leaned in too far. However, he stood up after giving me my kiss, and still looked triumphant. I couldn't help but smile and shake my head at him as he retreated to his room.

I stood watching his with my arms folded until his door was shut behind him. Then, going into my own room, I let out a long held in sigh. My back against the door, I relived the past night in my mind, and smiled every time Oliver's face came into view. Surely, there would be no way to be _just_ friends. When it came to Oliver Wood, that would be near impossible.

I heard Percy come back out of his room, humming the school hymn. His footsteps faded off in the direction of the bathroom.

_I have to forget Oliver_. No matter how hard it was, I knew that Percy and me were right for each other. We had to be. Everybody said so, and up until today, I had thought so too. We were alike in almost every way. Like...well...well there's...academics?

_Ugh!_ That is NOT a good enough trait. But there had to be something didn't there? How did we get this far if there was nothing?

Maybe I was too busy listening to everyone else's stereotypes to really listen to myself. _No_, that couldn't be it. There was definitely something between Percy and I. There just had to be.

I must just be too tired tonight to think of anything. Or maybe it's just because my mind is going a mile a minute in every direction. Between Percy, Oliver, Head Girl, school, the first day back, May, Suze, and a million other things, I just couldn't focus on what I needed to. Yes, that had to be the answer. It just had to be.

I was tearing my mind in half trying to think of something. Pacing back in forth and running my hands through my hair, a nervous habit I've had since childhood, I didn't even notice my door was slightly ajar.

"Penelope?" A voice whispered from the doorway. My head snapped around so fast that it made me dizzy for a moment. Percy, the last and most important person I wanted to see at the moment, peeked his head through my door. "Are you alright?" _NO! OF COURSE NOT!_

I took a deep breath and sighed heavily. Letting my shoulders relax, I put on a soft smile, "Yes,

Percy, I'm fine. Good-night...dear." His eyes shifted about the room quickly, then he nodded and left, the door snapping shut quietly behind him.

I threw my head back and looked desperately at the ceiling for a solution. Groaning, I flopped onto the bed and lay with my hands behind my head. Still searching for an answer, my eyelids grew heavy. My head tilted to the side, and the last thing I saw was the sapphire eye of the raven headboard looking down on me...probably with pity.

The room was dark, but I felt a soft breeze on my face, and smiled into the darkness, my eyes closed. _What time is it?_ I wondered, but didn't really care. It was probably somewhere around 2 or 3 in the morning. I had to get some sleep before Percy came to wake me up for good.

Someone had lifted the blanket over me during the night. I felt the smooth fabric and rubbed my hands over my stomach to feel the texture against my skin. My hands rested on my stomach just under my breasts. They weren't there long though, because someone took them by the wrists and pinned them up over my head.

I didn't panic, just smiled and took a deep breath as I felt someone's weight slide over me and rest on top of me. My body wriggled a little, but it was comfortable underneath him. Kisses were planted from my chin down to my shirt line. He let a hot breath out on my neck and began his kisses again around my collarbone.

I bit my lower lip and let out a small moan. He pressed against me a little harder and continued his kisses. "P..." I began to whisper, but was cut off by a full frontal kiss on the lips. His lips were warm and smooth. He dominated the kiss, sliding his tongue in and out, nibbling slightly on my lower lip. The kiss shocked me and pleased me all at once. Could this possibly be Percy? Where did he learn to kiss like that in the past few hours? There was definitely not a spell for this.

Then I got the best and worst shock, which made me draw in a sharp breath in-between the moments our lips met. This wasn't Percy. Not even close.

My eyes were still closed, but I knew instantly who it was when I felt the soft hair brush over my eyes as he kissed me more earnestly. _Oliver_.

Even more excited, I pushed up against him and leaned into the kiss. Our kiss became more passionate, almost with an edge of desperation. One of his hands let go of my wrist and went to stroke my hair. His fingers ran through my strands with ease and sent tingles down my spine. No one had ever touched my hair that way.

Hungry to fulfill the desire to stroke his hair from the minute I saw him on the staircase, my hand rose to the back of his head and I anticipated the feeling of my fingers running through his locks. The second my hand was about to grace his head, the feeling of his body pressing against mine was gone.

Had he gotten up? My chin lifted looking for his lips, but I couldn't find them. I kept my eyes closed, scared to look around to find him gone. I still tasted him on my lips, but the tingle was gone, and so was he. The breeze faded, the sense of someone else in the room was gone, and a black fuzziness yet again swept over the inside of my eyes, clouding my mind...and he was gone.


	11. Breakfast By Myself

Hey, this is my first fanfic ever, so please Read and Review!

I hope you like it.

Tell your friends about it if you like it!

Thanks to everyone for the reviews! They're really great. I hope you enjoy the rest of the story. More chapters will be up soon. Keep Reviewing! I really enjoy reading them, they keep me writing more. Enjoy!

A special thanks to Kaitlyn for helping me out with the small facts when I'm too lazy to look them up myself. Haha.

Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter does not belong to me, I'm sorry to say. It's all the creation of J. K. Rowling.

A light graced my eyes, and they blinked open. Looking around the room, I remembered last night. How did he get away so fast? I looked at my bed. The blanket was twisted and wasn't over me anymore. Had it even been over me at all? I licked my lips, trying to find his taste, but they were dry and I didn't taste anything at all. My robes were still on, but they were all askew, tightly wrapped around me.

I hated falling asleep in my clothes. Still, I searched for some clue I wasn't alone last night. Remembering the breeze, I sat up in bed and turned to look at the window. It was open about and inch, definitely not enough for someone to get through. He could have close it behind him, but he wouldn't dare go out again at night with the Dementors lurking around the ground. Besides, he would have to get his broom to be able to reach my tower window. Surely he wouldn't go all the way to the quidditch shed at the pitch to get it. Not after what happened already there. He wouldn't take the chance.

Of course he had the password, but...no, he couldn't have been here.

I don't know what would have made me feel more guilty. Admitting to myself I had actually dreamed of him sneaking to my room, or the if he had actually been here.

Of course though, it was a dream. There was no way he was here. Letting out a sigh and falling back to my bed, I threw my arms over my face.

How could I do that to Percy? I couldn't control my dreams, but if he was in my dreams, then obviously I was thinking of him more than Percy. He was even on my subconscious. I don't think that Percy had ever made his way into my dreams throughout these past years, but after one night, Oliver snuck into mine.

I decided not to let Percy get the satisfaction of waking me, so I got up myself, gathered things for the bathroom, and opened my door. I wasn't shocked to see him already standing at my doorway, his hand lifted ready to knock. His mouth was even open in what I assumed was his preparation to yell my name.

I didn't say anything, but nodded and moved past him. Trudging down the hall to the bathroom, I didn't look back. The bathroom was large. Not quite as big as the Prefect bathroom, but then again, this was only for two people. There was a shower all the way at the end, and a bathtub in the wall on the side. There were little bottles lined up along the edge in all colors. I couldn't wait to take my first soak. I needed it, but right now all I had time for was a shower. I walked past the sink, hung up my towel and turned the nobs.

Taking my wand out, I mumbled my own special spell that scented the water. My signature scent, I suppose. After almost two years, and a lot of failures and mishaps, I finally got the right combination that concocted a scent of wildflowers, a spring breeze, and a hint of sweetness, probably from fresh honey or a back corner of Honeydukes.

When I was done, I left the bathroom in only a towel. I forgot to grab my robes, but I didn't like to dress while I was still damp anyway. Percy was about to leave his room, but seeing me in my towel widened his eyes and he jumped back into his room slamming the door shut. Even in his fast escape, I could already see him turn bright red.

"If we're going to live together, you're going to have to get used to seeing things occasionally Percy!" I yelled through his door. I knew that would get him even more embarrassed and smiled to myself.

Returning to my room, I threw on my clothes and straightened them out in the mirror. By hand, I might add. I don't need spells to look neat. I'm not that much of a perfectionist. Running my hands through my hair, I shrugged into the mirror, and left the room.

I knocked on Percy's door and it opened instantly.

"Where you just waiting for me with you hand on the doorknob?" I asked half jokingly.

"Something like that." He took my hand and started down the stairs.

"What's your rush? We're not late."

"I don't want Oliver to get there before us again. I'll never hear the end of it." Rushing out the portrait, I didn't even have time to tie my shoe.

Of course, one way or another, I knew that I would be hearing about Oliver again. There was just no escaping it.

_Just my luck_.

Of course, we were there before Oliver, and anyone else for that matter. In fact, it was another 5 minutes before Oliver even arrived, and another 3 minutes before the first few teachers appeared. We met Oliver by the doors, and I expected it to be a little uncomfortable, but at least Percy would keep up the conversation.

"Oh look, Professor McGonagall. I want to talk to her before classes start today. I'll see you after breakfast." Percy gave me a quick peck on the cheek as my eyes widened and he left.

Before I could protest, it was just Oliver and I. We looked at each other, looked away, then back at each other. I glanced at my watch, which told me we still had another 5 minutes before students started to arrive.

"Penelope, about last night..." He started but I really didn't feel like going into it again. I had enough heartbreak to last me at the very least till winter break.

"It's alright Oliver. Really. I understand, we can just be friends. I wouldn't want anything to come between you, Percy, or me. I want us all to be friends." I basically repeated what I had been trying to convince myself all night.

He looked shocked, but I just let my eyes lower to the ground. I couldn't look at him or I might have started to cry.

"Well, ok then. I'm going to go sit down. I'll see you later." I allowed our eyes to meet, and I gave him a weak smile that immediately turned to biting my lower lip to keep from letting out a sob. He looked back three times on his way to a seat towards the center of his table. Each time, I nodded at him with that same weak smile with me biting my lip, almost encouraging him to go on. I wanted so bad for him to turn back and sweep me up into his arms, but I knew that wasn't what was meant for us.

He was going to find some gorgeous girl that would wait on his hand and foot, and I would be with Percy. With Percy, where everyone knew I should be.

May, Suze and I all sat at our table, and sadly we were right in the view of Oliver, again with us facing each other. I decided not to look at him. I ate in silence, and just nibbled on some toast.

Of course, May and Suze just had to keep on talking about Oliver. Just my luck. There was just no escaping him. I decided not to listen to that either. I didn't want to think about him, and I especially didn't want the memory of that dream again.

"Oh no! He's leaving!" Suze squealed in disappointment. I glanced up to see Oliver walking out of the hall, hands in pockets and leaned back, as if there were no bad thoughts running through his mind. He looked completely carefree.

Looking back at my plate, I tuned out may and Suze again. The entire meal was spent in the isolation of my own mind.

The last few students left from breakfast, and finally Percy permitted us to leave. I knew that it wasn't our duty to stay for breakfast or lunch, only for dinner, but of course Percy insisted.

"It's our responsibility. Responsibility is key to being a good Head, and of course, successful in life." He told me matter-of-factly. I didn't argue. It wouldn't get me anywhere. I was just thankful to get back to our rooms.

Our schedules were on the table in our common room. Almost all classes were with Gryffindor. Percy was quite pleased that we would be together for most of the day. I gave him a weak smile, something I was growing accustomed to, and excused myself. Groaning, I headed up to my room to get ready.

There was absolutely no escaping Oliver Wood.


	12. Almost Transfiguring Feelings?

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Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter does not belong to me, I'm sorry to say. It's all the creation of J. K. Rowling.

Transfiguration was first with Professor McGonagall. We were the first to arrive, and sat towards the center of the room. Of course, Percy insisted on front row, but that was something I opposed.

"I hate the front Percy. I feel so confined. I can't concentrate well in the front. I'm much better in the second or third row. Please?"

"Penelope dear, how can you say that you can't concentrate in the front row? It's the best seat, right in front of the teacher. You can feel as if she's talking directly to you, and not worry about the rest of the class. Also, you don't have to look at anyone else, just look at the teacher. Her teaching is direct in the front and doesn't get confused from sitting further back." Some of his arguments were complete rubbish, but this wasn't something he was going to win. He's gotten everything else his way since we got back to school, and he could at least relent on this.

"Ok, fine Percy." He smiled triumphantly and looked quite pleased with himself. "You can sit in the front, and I'll sit right here." I said firmly, letting my books slap against the desk top, and planted myself in the seat. I looked straight ahead, refusing to meet his eyes.

From the corner of my eye, I saw his mouth open and close, then heard him suck in a deep breath. Holding out his chest and carrying his head high, he sat down rigid in the chair next to me, breathing heavily and also looking straight ahead.

Smiling to myself, I relaxed and waited for the rest of the students. Again, Oliver was the first to arrive. He stood in front of us, his eyebrows raised and eyes wide. Looking from Percy then to me for an explanation, all I could do was shrug. Percy still refused to look anywhere but ahead and continued his heavy breathing. He shrugged back, and slouched into the seat in front of me.

One hand on the desk and one dropped down at his side, I watched him scribble something on a piece of scrap parchment. I couldn't make out what it was, so decided to let my gaze wander around the room.

Students began to file in, some in groups, some by themselves. Finally, May and Suze appeared and excitedly sat down in the double desks next to me. Suze was nearest to me, and her eyes shifted to Oliver with a broad smile. I sighed, but smiled back.

_There's no reason to be jealous now_. I thought, looking over at the still fuming Percy. _We're just friends now..._

I leaned in to whisper in Percy's ear.

"Come now, the third row isn't so bad is it? We still have a great view." I kissed him softly on the cheek. The spot where I kissed him reddened, and he loosened up a little. Finally, he turned and gave me a small smile.

Smiling back, I gave him a quick peck on the lips before class started.

Professor McGonagall stood before the class, her usual high and mighty atmosphere that I admired, and began her lecture. Only, today it started out a little different.

"As you know students, the Dementors are here to ensure our safety. In the event that Sirius Black should approached Hogwarts, they will be here to recapture him and protect us."

"Protect us! Ha! They would give us a kiss the first chance they get, even if we weren't Black." A Ravenclaw boy from the back corner called, interrupting McGonagall, which she did not appreciate at all.

"Another outburst Mr. Rotgage, and I will begin deducting house points. Now, although he said it rather rudely, Mr. Rotgage is somewhat correct. During the day, the Dementors are instructed to stay on the outskirts on the grounds. They will abide by this, for they know that students roam the ground during the day. However," she continued sharply, "at night, they come deeper onto the grounds."

I saw Oliver instantly stiffen, and felt my own body grow tense.

McGonagall continued, "Since they are informed that students do not roam the grounds at night, as _is _school rules," I lowered my eyes, but still felt hers rest on me momentarily. "They will attack anyone they find. Although you are students, they will not differentiate you from Black if you are out at a time they are told there are no students. Please, do not provoke any of them. It is for your own safety that we implore you to abide by school rules. We all need to be a little more cautious for the time being."

"Of course Professor." Percy was quick to jump to her aid. He spoke in his Head Boy Tone again. "I'm sure that no student would dare roam the grounds now that Dementors are here. It is just common sense. Anyone in their right mind would stay in the castle at night."

"Thank you, Percy." She responded with a wave of her hand and in an exasperated tone. Although Percy may be every teacher's dream student, I'm sure he grew tiresome over the years. Although he didn't mean to be, he did often come off as a teacher suck-up. I almost felt bad for McGonagall.

All Oliver and I could do was shrink further down into our chairs. Percy looked at me for backup, and I simply nodded. Although my heart was pounding, the second Oliver turned around to look at me, a smile crept over both our faces in silent knowledge.

All during class I would glance at Suze, just to find her complete attention focused on Oliver. He continued to scribble on the parchment all during class. I went through different emotions about his scribbling the entire time. First, I was interested. Then, I could have cared less. After another few minutes, I became interested again and tried to peek over his shoulders, but his strong quidditch shoulder stayed in my way. Then after another few minutes passed, I grew quite annoyed at his insistent scribbling. What could possibly hold his attention so long? At the moment, I was interested again, and couldn't wait for the last few minutes of class to end to see what was on that parchment.

The class, as were all first day classes, was a total bore. All review from last year. When we were finally dismissed, I rushed to Oliver's side to see his piece of parchment. Unfortunately, Suze beat me there, and he quickly tucked the parchment into his robe pocket.

"So, Oliver, how was your summer?" She pressed up against his side and he backed up a little.

"It was um...great..." He struggled with her name and looked at me for help. I mouthed her name to him and smiled. "Suze." He smiled back his 'thank you'.

Percy took me by the arm and we walked out of class, leaving Oliver and Suze to talk, while May giggled behind them a few feet away.

It was good the Suze was interested in him. With Oliver taken, there was no reason for me to think about him. _Especially_ if it was one of my best friends he was taken by.

A few minutes later, Oliver's footsteps were heard behind us, and he was by our side.

"What did Suze want, Oliver?" Percy asked, a sly smile playing at his lips. I was also interested in what she had said and looked up at him intently with curious eyes.

"Oh, nothing in particular. Just small talk. What do you guys have next?" He answered, quick to change the subject.

"Advanced Charms 7. You?" I asked. Maybe we could be friends after all. He didn't look as crushed as he had when I left him in his dormitory last night, and his spirit even began to lift my hopes.

"Excellent. I have the same. I guess the three of us will be together for our first two classes at least, hm?" His smiled created one on my face. I decided that I would enjoy being friends with him. His personality was just so pure, it could make anyone happy. Of course, we'd have to take it slow at first, and I'd make sure Percy was with us at all times.

Of course, with my luck, other plans were already made for us.

"Not me." Percy began, stopping near the staircase. "I took that class last year. I have Advance Potions now. Looks like you two will be together for your first two classes, not me." My breathing stopped as did my heart.

"You took Advance Charms 7 in your 5th year?" Oliver asked astonished. It was supposed to be an honor to get into Charms 7. I had worked hard in my 5th year to take double charms so I would be able to take the advanced course in my 6th year. Obviously, Percy had already beat me to it.

"Of course. Where did you think I was during that one class we weren't together?" Percy let go of my arm and started down the staircase to the dungeons.

"I don't know, I guess I never really thought about it." Oliver's eyes moved back and forth trying to remember last year.

"I'll see you two later then at lunch. Have fun. It's actually a very good class." With that, he was racing down the stairs as to be the first student. Again, it was just Oliver and I.

"Well then, shall we?" He asked and held out his arm. I gave him a small smile and took his arm, heading towards to Charms tower.


	13. Friendly Charms

Hey everyone, thanks for the reviews.

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Happy Reading, Enjoy!

Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter does not belong to me, I'm sorry to say. It's all the creation of J. K. Rowling.

We took seats in the back row in the corner. Oliver sat in the corner seat and I sat next to him. This class was only select students, so it was mixed with all four houses. Still, the seats didn't fill up completely.

"So Penelope, we're just friends right?" He asked me, staring straight ahead in an unemotional voice. He asked me it as if he were talking about the weather.

"Um...well, yes. Yes, we're just friends. Why?" I searched his face, wondering if I had said the right thing. I suppose I did, because he turned and looked at me with a broad smile.

"Good. Just making sure." He turned again to face straight, waiting for Professor Flitwick to arrive. After 5 seconds, his broad smile faded to a deep frown.

"So, this class should be interesting, don't you think? I still can't believe Percy already took the course. I had no idea. I would have thought Percy would brag about it non-stop." I chuckled a little. I couldn't stand a moments silence between us, knowing that if I let it happen, bad thoughts would come to mind.

"Yeah well, he probably did brag non-stop about it, it was probably just another one of the things we tuned out. Well, I'm just assuming that you tune him out sometimes as well. I mean, I've seen you sometimes when he talks. I do the same. It's really the only thing we can do about him." We both laughed.

I guess he has looked at me then.

Percy was always a safe topic. It reminded me that Percy was my boyfriend, and I didn't think about Oliver as anything other than a friend. Of course, that meant that my stupid mind had to go in another direction and get off the topic of Percy.

"I guess it'll be hard for you this year since you can't go out to the pitch every night, huh?" Ugh, I just _had_ to bring up the pitch didn't I?

It didn't seem to faze him. He just shrugged and leaned back in his chair. "Eh, I'll live. I'm sure I'll find other things to occupy my time with. Also, I have the nightly visits from you and Percy to look forward to."

"Actually, it's only going to be one of us at a time. We decided to split the duties and alternate dormitories each night because he doesn't think we finish fast enough. So we'll see each other every other night." Oliver nodded and contemplated the situation in his mind.

"Well, that's good then. If you only have two houses to visit, we can spend more time together and become better friends. Who knows, someday when you and Percy are married, I can visit your house and we can all be just like the old friends you read about in books. Maybe even your kids will know me as 'Uncle Oliver'." He smiled but soon realized what he said and the smile faded. He turned away, but his face lit up brilliantly and he turned back to me excited. "Hey I almost for something."

He quickly reached into his pocket and pulled out that same piece of parchment from Transfiguration. I had forgotten all about it but my interest was instantly sparked again and I tried to see what it was. He wouldn't let me though and turned his back to block my view. Deciding not to look like a nosy witch, I sat back in my chair and waited.

Taking out his wand, he whispered a spell I couldn't quite hear and tapped the paper. He turned to me again with a luminous smile. "Here, I drew this during Transfiguration. I want you to have it. A gift from a friend to a friend." He handed my the parchment proudly, then leaned back in his seat to watch my reaction.

I smiled back at him in gratitude and examined the paper. The second I set my eyes on it, it took my breath away.

He had drawn the quidditch pitch. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought he was sitting right on the pitch sketching a portrait. Of course, he probably had the view of the pitch implanted in his mind more vivid than any other memory.

The picture was drawn with the view of the seats we sat in the night before. It had the castle and lake in the background. It wasn't any ordinary drawing, but was charmed to move as if a scene was taking place. A quidditch match was occurring at the moment. I could see tiny figures of people moving in the stands. The quidditch teams soared through the sky and whizzed by in the picture. I could tell that the teams were Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. At one point, a player I could immediately identify as Oliver came into the center of the page and threw the quaffle. Once it was out of his hands, he turned, smiled broadly, waved, and left the picture. After he left, a score at the bottom of the page appeared: Gryffindor 50, Ravenclaw 50. Then the sequence would repeat itself. It was definitely the most amazing gift anyone had ever given me.

I turned back to Oliver, and my reaction must have pleased him because his face shined with happiness.

"Oliver, you're incredibly talented. I'm jealous." I told him through my smile, but he just shrugged and shook his head.

"It's something I do on the side. I've never given one to anyone before. I'm just glad you like it. The look on your face is something I will cherish forever." He laughed again and I couldn't stop thanking him. I set the picture on top of my books and just stared at it until Professor Flitwick arrived. Still, I couldn't bring myself to put it away, so I just kept it next to my books during class.

I found Oliver very refreshing to sit next to. Whenever the class got too boring, he would make sly remarks that would make me smile and giggle. It was much better than sitting next to Percy who would quietly reprimand you if you so much as looked bored.

After class, I tucked the drawing into the front cover of my book so it wouldn't get torn. Meeting up with Percy by the dungeons, we all entered the Great Hall together. This time, parting with Oliver wasn't a heart-wrenching experience. We waved good-bye just the way friends would.

Of course the topic of conversation was on Oliver again with my friends. This time I joined in and encourage Suze, instead of pretending she was talking about some other guy.

"Well, there's a Hogsmeade trip this weekend. Just ask him if he wants to spend time with you." I suggested, biting into my roll. For some reason, the Great Hall seemed brighter than it did during breakfast.

"Hm, maybe I should. I don't want to look desperate though. He didn't really seem like he was too interested today after Transfiguration. He kept looking past me. It was actually kind of annoying." Suze pouted and let out a sigh.

"Don't worry about it Suze. I'm sure he'll become interested. No one has ever said no to you before." May was hurry to try to cheer her up.

"Yeah well, Oliver is _much_ more mature than the other guys I've gone after. He might not see me the same way. I wish I was more mature like him. Maybe if I acted more like you, Penelope, he would like me more!" I choked on my roll and coughed it down, hitting my chest with my fist.

"Are you alright?" May asked, patting me on the back. I ignored her and stared at Suze, still slightly coughing.

"Excuse me? What makes you think he likes me?"

"Haha, not like _that_ silly. I mean, he respects you. You're smart and mature. Maybe I should act like you." She nodded to herself, then looked up at me for assurance.

"No Suze. You should be yourself. He would respect that even more. You shouldn't have to change for him. Besides, you can't be someone else forever. It wouldn't be fair to yourself." It was completely ridiculous to change yourself to be with someone.

"Well, no offense Penelope, but you kinda changed a little for Percy. I mean, you're more serious now. Anyway, maybe I should do what you did. Just change a little bit to fit in with him more. That wouldn't be totally horrible would it?"

I looked over at Oliver who sensed my eyes on him. His head snapped up and looked right at me. We smiled, then turned back to our friends. I looked at Suze, who looked so troubled. She really did like Oliver. I guess it wouldn't be so bad for her to change a little. I mean, I had changed a little for Percy.

"I guess that's fine Suze. Go for it. You can even hang out with us at Hogsmeade and get to know him more." That made her perk up, and she spent the rest of the time chatting away about how great Hogsmeade was going to be with Oliver.

While she talked, I snuck another peek at the picture Oliver had drawn. It would be great to have us all be friends. Maybe Suze would even become friends with Percy. Although I wanted that more than anything at the moment, I couldn't help but wondering, was I really ready to give Oliver up? But then again, he wasn't mine to give away. Perhaps if the world was different, he would be. But right now, the words 'Penelope and Oliver' would remain under the 'Friends' column.


	14. Potion Problems

Hey again everyone.

I know the Rating is R and its only been about PG so far, but in the upcoming chapters it gets deeper.

I hope you enjoy the story.

Keep reading and REVIEWING!

Enjoy!

Maegen

Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter does not belong to me, I'm sorry to say. It's all the creation of J. K. Rowling.

Since Percy had Potions while Oliver and I had Charms, we were again alone in class together. Our seats were off to the side, out of the way of everyone else, Oliver, again near the wall, with me on his other side.

Snape was rather distraught all throughout class. Even more than he normally was. His face, if possible, was contorted to make him look even angrier than the usual, and was nastier than all my years at Hogwarts.

"Someone had a bad summer." Oliver whispered as Snape whipped around at a student who had coughed while he was talking, leaving only inches between their faces.

Through a sneer and gritted teeth, Snape spat at the terrified student, "You will do well to hold you disruptive bodily functions till your body walks through that doorframe on the way out at the end of class. Understood?" The poor student, eyes wide and cowering on his stool only nodded and winced. Snape spun on his heel to again pace the classroom during his lecture.

Either Snape had a broomstick stuck in a very unpleasant place, or something occurring this year was definitely making him furious. Whatever the reason, I hoped it would go away before he hexed a student for sneezing.

He immediately gave us a potion to complete before the end of class for grading. It was surprisingly complicated for a first-day-back-potion. Still, too afraid, no student let out a single groan.

Oliver hunched over on his stool, he leaned over the table writing notes, his potion bubbling beside him. I admired how serious and intent he looked. His potion looked perfect. As he wrote, his arm wrapped around the top of his parchment and his hair just barley brushed the page. The chamber was so dark, he had to lean in closely to read his own handwriting.

As I admired him, I continued to drop in the ingredients. Lifting a beaker of phoenix blood, my arm swung to the cauldron, my eyes stayed on him. Just as I began to tilt the beaker to pour out its contents, the bottom hit the edge of the cauldron and tipped out of my hand. Quickly, I jumped back, but Snape was at the front of our table in an instant. Oliver's head snapped up and examined what had just happened. His eyes narrowed at Snape.

Snape barred his teeth and glared at me, his voice was venomous. "You stupid girl! Look what you've done!" A hole had burned straight through the table. Oliver began to straighten in his chair, not taking his eyes off Snape. All I could do was stare back at Snape wide eyed and frightened. I opened my mouth but no sound came out. He had never looked more terrifying to me. "You're supposed to be Head Girl. I had no idea you were such a NIT-WIT! 20 points from Ravenclaw!" His eyes burned into mine, as Oliver's burned into the side of his head. Snape didn't notice Oliver starting to slowly rise from his chair.

All eyes in the class were on us. Hands stopped in mid-air, jaws dropped, and not a single breath was let out. Quickly, although still terrified, I regained some of my sense. I reached into my robe and pulled out my wand.

"I'm sorry Professor, it-it was an accident. I'll-I'll fix it right now." My wand pointed at the hole and the spell was at the tip of my tongue when Snape smacked my hand away rather roughly and raised his forefinger to point at my face. It actually stung and felt like someone had just pierced my skin with an icicle.

Instantly however, Oliver grabbed his wrist and squeezed it tightly. I saw Snape wince but his eyes turned harsh immediately and his head snapped to Oliver's direction. Oliver's eyes were just as harsh and glaring at Snape threateningly.

"Don't you EVER touch her. Not EVER." Oliver spoke slowly and softly through gritted teeth. Although he spoke low, I'm sure the entire class heard his threat. Snape opened his mouth but Oliver gripped his wrist harder and began to twist it slightly. Snapping his mouth shut, all Snape could do was glare back. My heart pounded. I wasn't so afraid of what Snape would do to Oliver, but more of what Oliver would do to Snape.

After about another 30 second of glaring at each other, Oliver threw down Snape's hand, but kept his cold expression. His wrist was red and looked sore. Snape looked menacing, but an ugly sneer made its way across his face.

"Wait till the Headmaster hears about this." He threatened Oliver, but Oliver looked unfazed. Instead, he held himself even higher and seemed like he was gazing down at Snape.

He shot back, "Yes, I'll be pleased to tell him all about how you had the audacity to _hit_ a student, and the school's Head Girl no less."

Snape's sneer faltered, but he straightened and snapped his head around to me again.

"Clean up this mess, Ms. Clearwater. And for your clumsiness..." He turned to look at Oliver and smirked. Then, with a whip of his wand, my potion disappeared. "I'm making you start from scratch. Hurry up, I'm grading these." He threw Oliver a self-satisfied smirk and walked away.

Before I could stutter out any objection, he was at his desk. I was not about to follow him. I looked helplessly at Oliver. He just nodded at me and turned back to his work. The eyes, one pair at a time began to fall back to their own potions. I was left standing there completely helpless.

It had taken me almost 45 minutes to get to the point I was at with my potion, and now, with 10 minutes left of class, there was no way I would be able to finish. As Head Girl, getting a bad mark on my very first potion grade was not going to be good at all. It would be one thing to my grades, but surely Percy would find out and it would never be lived down. I couldn't stand the thought of his bickering about how I shouldn't be so careless. And of course, there was no way to explain that I was too busy watching Oliver to pay closer attention to the potion.

Frantically, I began working. There was no time to cut everything again and get all new ingredients, so I just scooped up whatever leftovers I had from the other potion. After about five minutes, I realized that it was all wrong. I was only about a quarter of the way through, and the proportions were completely wrong.

With five minutes left of class, I decided to give up and sulk. I plopped down on my stool, put my elbows on the table, and rested my cheeks against my fists. I absolutely despised Snape.

I felt pressure on my shoulder, and looked up to see Oliver leaning over me to look into my cauldron. My potion was a deep purple color, but it was supposed to be a lime green.

He shook his head and looked down at me. "Tisk, tisk, my dear Penelope."

He was actually going to criticize my work after all that had happened? What was wrong with him?

Then, he pulled out his wand and smiled at me. My jaw dropped and before I could stop him, he made my potion disappear. I knew it was bad, but a bad grade was better than getting a complete zero. I was shocked. A minute ago, he was defending me against one of the most despised wizards in England, and now he was ensuring my failure. Was he bloody insane?

All I could do was stare up at him with my eyes wide and mouth gaping. There were no words to describe what he had just done.

Before I could even begin to express my shock and anger, he did another thing that shocked me. Glancing at Snape, who had his back turned, he turned to his own potion and whispered, "_Loannecanto."_ Then, he flicked his wand to tap my cauldron.

A lime green liquid began to fill my cauldron and started to bubble, filling the cauldron halfway. I stared dumbstruck into the potion. Then, I glanced at Oliver, who was busy again with his own work. I continued to stare at him astonished until he turned and gave me one of his sly smiles. Then, he reached to his palate and scooped up 2 slivers of snake skin. I stared into his cauldron, which was now half-full, as he stirred them into his potion which made it turn a deeper green than the perfect lime green color that was in my own cauldron.

He smiled at me again as he poured his into a glass bottle and inscribed his name with his wand.

"You better hurry up and get that bottled before class is over. You don't want to stay here any later than you have to, do you?" Then he walked up to Snape's desk, gave him a huge smile, and placed his container with the others. I sat in my place, still dumbfounded.

Oliver Wood had just cheated in Professor Snape's class. He cheated, _for me. _Percy would never even _consider_ doing anything like that.

"Come on, Penelope, do I have to bottle it for you too?" He asked, sliding back onto his seat.

Regaining my thoughts, I quickly shook my head and poured some potion into a small bottle. I stood up to hand it in, but Oliver grabbed my arm.

"You should clear that out in case he gets suspicious. Just to be sure. Tell him you already cleaned up." I nodded and did as he said. He was quite sly. Maybe he had Slytherin blood. But I was sure not even a Slytherin would dare cheat in Professor Snape's class. That's where the Gryffindor bravery comes in.

I grinned to myself as I got to Snape's desk. He looked up at me shocked. Seeing my smile and thinking I was mocking him only fueled the fire in his eyes. Instead of saying anything, I shrugged and walked back to Oliver, who handed me my books as we left the class. We walked out without bothering to repair the hole.

As soon as we were in the dungeons, I let out a long held in breath.

"Oliver, I cannot believe we just did that. Won't he know if we have the same potion?" I couldn't contain my excitement. After all, I had never before cheated in any way, and for me, this was very exciting.

"No, that's why I put in the extra snake skin in mine. It'll be different now. Even is he does suspect it, he can't prove anything." We was very calm and relaxed about the situation, but my thrill amused him and a smile played his lips. "You know, you're great to watch when you're happy. I hardly ever really see you like this."

"Well, Mr. Oliver Wood, maybe you just bring out the best in me." I laughed and smiled at him, skipping ahead a little then turning back at him. Alone in the corridor, I decided to have some fun. I felt giddy and wanted him to join me in my fun. He didn't resist, and ran to catch me. I let out a small scream and ran into a room branching off from the corridor.

We circled the room, him on one side, me on the other. It was a cat and mouse game.

"You know, I hardly ever really see you like this either." I told him as we circled.

"Well, Ms. Penelope Clearwater, maybe you just bring out the best in me." Now he stood in front of the door. I laughed, then dodged to his side to try and get around. He was quick though, and caught me, scooping me up in his arms. We laughed loudly as he swung me around.

He held me above him and pressed my back against the wall. Our laughing slowed as we looked into each others eyes. His face was soft, a small smile still on his lips. I concentrated on the blueness of his eyes and felt as if I were swimming in them.

"I guess I'm too slow for those fast quidditch reflexes, huh?" I asked him, still looking deeper into his eyes.

"I knew they would come in handy someday." He answered softly.

Slowly, he lowered me until my feet touched the ground. His arms still wrapped around me, I stood on the balls of my feet, still staring at his eyes.

My chin lifted, as he arched his neck to lower his lips to mine. My body screamed out for him. There was nothing more I wanted at the moment then to be right in this spot with him.

Suddenly, he jerked away. His mouth opened and closed, making no sounds. Shaking his head, his eyes pleaded with me to tell him to stop. I didn't want to, but guilt quickly began to sweep over me, and I had to look away. He slid his arms out from around me and backed away slowly.

Standing there staring at me, he waited for me to make some sort of movement. I couldn't bring myself to look at him, so with my head down, I turned and walked out of the room. He followed close behind the rest of the way, but still kept a good distance. Although we walked in silence, I felt his eyes on my back.

But the worst thing going through my mind, was the fact that if he hadn't stopped us, I knew that I wouldn't have either.


	15. Remain Responsible

Sorry the chapters have been coming kind of slower.

I've been pretty busy though.

Not to worry however, I'm trying to get at least a chapter every 2 days.

Keep read and REVIEWING!

Thanks for all the great reviews too.

Enjoy!

Maegen

Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter does not belong to me, I'm sorry to say. It's all the creation of J. K. Rowling.

My feet echoed throughout the empty corridor. Percy was on his way down to the dungeons, and I was on my way to Ravenclaw. I had not uttered so much as a syllable to Oliver since after Potions. My stomach churned every time I thought about the fact that I had to be alone with him.

"Swivelstairs." The doorway swung open for me to the common room. I really loved the passwords that were given to the houses. They got more and more ridiculous every year.

Not so much to my surprise, the common room was empty. If you had thought Ravenclaws went to sleep early last night, well, they went to sleep even earlier when school actually started. I sadly shook my head and turned back towards the door.

Now I had to get to Oliver even sooner. I could only pray he went to sleep.

I took my first step towards the door when a piercing shriek came from the stairway.

"Noooooo!" I spun on my heels to see Suze rushing down the stairs towards me, a look of horror on her face.

"Suze, what happened? Are you okay? What's wrong?" She looked so panicked, I thought that someone had been murdered. Perhaps she had seen Sirius Black. Surely, something was terribly wrong with her.

"I- I couldn't," She gasped for breath, gripping the sleeve of my robe.

"What Suze, what? Please tell me!"

"I couldn't let you leave without talking to you first...about Oliver." My shoulders dropped and my face changed from concerned to annoyed. She had acted as if there was some great problem that needed my assistance. I would have never guessed it was about Oliver.

"What is it then?" I asked rudely, beginning to become impatient.

"I need you to put in a good word for me. Please? It's important. I don't see Oliver enough in the day to make a good impression myself, so I need you to help me. Make me sound good. Exactly what he wants." I sadly shook my head looking at her. It was almost pitiful how desperate she was to get him.

"And what exactly would you like me to tell him about you?" For the life of me I couldn't think about any qualities in her that he would really admire.

"I don't know. Make something up. Just make it sound good." Rolling my eyes, I turned to leave. No one should have to lie to get another person. Before I could walk away, she grabbed my arm. I turned around annoyed, but quickly softened when I saw the desperation in her eyes.

"Please Penelope. You're the only one who can help me. I need your help."

I let out a heavy sigh and looked her in the eye. "Suze, you shouldn't have to lie or change yourself to be with anyone. There are plenty of boys in this school who would gladly accept you for who you are. You don't need Oliver." I said it with sincerity, but in the back of my mind I couldn't help wondering, who was I trying to protect more? Suze, or Oliver?

"Penelope. You know that Oliver is a one-of-a-kind guy. I haven't even talked to him that much, and I can even tell. Please, just say you'll help me?" Her pleads were so desperate, they almost made my heart crack at how shallow she sounded. She didn't used to be like this. She was independent and sincere.

I shrugged my arm from her grasp and looked at her sadly. Shaking my head I slowly turned away. Right as I reached the door, I said back over my shoulder, "I'll try my best."

As I exited, I heard her squeal with delight and yell back, "Thank you Penelope!"

When the door swung shut, I slapped my hands over my eyes and rubbed my face. I didn't know what would be more stressful. The visit I just had with Suze, or the visit I was about to have with Oliver.

At the Gryffindor entranceway, I stood and stared at the Fat Lady, deciding what I would do if Oliver were awake.

"Well, do you want to come in or not, Dear?" She looked down at me with a kind face.

"I'm not sure." I had never actually spoken to a portrait before, but I would take any chance at the moment to stall have to go inside.

"Well, I'm pretty certain that you have to go in to check on the students. It's your responsibility as Head Girl. Responsibility is always important. So, would you like to go in? You know the password don't you?"

"I'm trying to prepare myself. You see, there's someone inside. I don't exactly want to see this someone at the moment. Things aren't so great between us." I couldn't believe I would actually just spill almost everything to a portrait that I had hardly ever seen before.

"Oh, dear now. It can't be all that bad. It looks like the hardest decision you ever have right now, but trust me, things could be worse. Actually, this is probably the best thing that could happen to you, although it seems like the worst. Love is a beautiful thing. Just because it's not perfect, doesn't mean it's not worth it. Just follow your heart, and trust me, you'll be happier than you ever were. No matter how hard it is, you just have to bite down and bear it to have true happiness."

What she said made sense, but she didn't know the true depth of it all.

"How do you know this is about love?"

"I've seen so many students pass through this portrait and pass by. I see the look in your eyes. I know. Now, this poor boy in this house, his eyes almost broke my heart. Passed by today, looked so crushed, I almost wanted to cry for him. Oh, through all the years I've been here and how many students I see, I don't think I've ever seen anyone with a heart so broken. That poor poor boy. Something is burning away at his heart, I can tell. And he has so much talent. So much going for him. No one should ever be as hurt as he is. It just radiates off him. Oh, that poor Oliver Wood." She moaned and shook her head.

My heart shriveled up at the sound of his name. I was truly feeling sorry for this boy she mentioned, then when she named Oliver, I felt my insides die. Was he really hurting that bad? Could it really be over me?

"Oh, I've seen him troubled before." The Fat Lady continued, "Over quidditch and such, but never like this. His eyes were intense, thinking, but now, oh no, not now. His eyes are hurt. I can tell a lot from eyes you know. I guess it's a gift from being here for so long. Centuries in fact. I wish I could just give him a hug and console him, but for obvious reasons I can't. It's in his voice too. He's cracking inside. Ooh, I can't even stand to think about it anymore." She covered her mouth and turned away. She really did like the sound of her own voice. Still, what she said brought stinging tears to my eyes. They burned under the lids as I refused to let them fall.

"Fortuna Major." I whispered hoarsely.

The portrait swung open. "Good luck dear. I hope everything works out alright for you."

I walked into the common room. I was greeted by a dark empty room, with the only light source being the warm glow of the fire.

I let out a huge sigh a relief as I gazed around to see the common room empty. Even the chair where Oliver had hidden the previous night had no occupant. There were no remnants of any of Fred and George's experiments. It was safe for me to leave.

I stopped momentarily to admire the crest on the wall near the portrait exit. Gryffindors, you just had to love them. I smiled and moved towards the door.

"Don't leave yet." A small whisper came from behind me.

I sucked in my breath sharply and spun on my heel.

As my eyes adjusted to the dark in the direction of his voice, a silhouette came into focus on the stairs. He sat about halfway up, just out of view if someone were to take a quick look around. His legs were spread apart with his arms resting on his thighs and hands clasped. He was leaned forward, and even in the dark, I could tell that his eyes were focused on me.

"Oliver..."

"What happened today?" He cut in before I could say anything. His voice sounded as hurt as the Fat Lady had described. He stood up and came off the stairs towards me. As he came closer, I could tell his eyes were just as hurt.

"Oliver, listen..."

"No, I'm done just listening. I want answers. I _need_ answers, Penelope. This is killing me. I can't keep pretending that there's nothing between us. There is. You KNOW there is. Now, if you can look me in the eye, and tell me that you _truly_ love Percy, then I'll step back. I'll allow you two to be happy, because that's all I want for both of you. But if you can't say that you really love him, that you're feelings for him are stronger than they are for me, then I can't let you go on with him. It's not fair to either of you. I can't see you hurt yourself that way Penelope, I can't." He took my hands in his and looked into my eyes, pleading with me.

I had to turn my head away. When I did, he grasped me firmly below my shoulders, forcing me to look at him again.

"Please, Penelope. Answer me. Please. I need to know. Tell me now."

"I can't." I whispered, near tears.

"Why not!" He urged through barred teeth. His eyes pleaded with mine and it made my heart melt.

"Because...I'm not even sure." He let go of me and backed away, shaking his head and looking down.

"Penelope," He began in a soft voice, "It's only been two days, and I feel more for you than I ever have for anyone else. If you love Percy more than me, then tell me now. I won't come between you. But if whatever feelings you have for me are stronger than what those you have for Percy, then I can't let you walk out that door to go back to him. I love you too much to let you throw your love away like that." He spoke slowly. Still, I couldn't bring myself to answer. I wasn't sure if it was because I truly didn't know myself, or if I just didn't want to admit to either choice. How could I give him an answer if I didn't have one for myself?

"Oliver," this time he stood patiently and listened, "I can't give you an answer. Not just yet. I don't even know. What I do know, is that I woke up two mornings ago and told myself I loved Percy. Two days ago, I would have sworn that to the grave. Tonight, right now, looking at you, I find it harder and harder to tell myself I love him. Maybe what I feel for Percy isn't truly love, but if it is, then I can't believe that it can die in two days. I don't know what love is exactly, so I can't say that what I feel for you or Percy is love or not. I can't even really say what it is that I feel for you. All I know, is that I'm torn right now."

His eyes, usually bright and vibrant, looked glassy and miserable. I had to look away to keep from crying.

"I feel I have a responsibility to Percy," I continued, "and I can't just give up on him. A year can't be thrown away in two days. That's not fair to him. But, don't wait for me Oliver. I can't promise anything. I won't promise anything. Percy has been dedicated to me since the first day we went out. It would be...irresponsible to just leave him for anything, when I'm not even sure what it is. I know that I have some sort of feelings for Percy, and I won't lie, I do feel something for you. But for all I know, it could just be some sort of puppy love. What I have with Percy has lasted for over a year now. It's strong. I don't know what we have Oliver, but how can I know it will be as strong as what me and Percy have? I can't. Neither of us can."

"Penelope." He came towards me and grabbed my hand. Placing it against his chest over his heart, he held it there and looked into my eyes. "Penelope, can you feel my heart beating. Can you feel how hard it's pounding? Never, and I mean never, not even when I'm on the quidditch pitch, has my heart beat this fast. It's only like this when I'm with you. Whenever I see you, hear your name, just the thought of you, it makes my heart beat like this. Sure, it's only been two days, but bloody hell, can you really say that you've ever felt with Percy the way that you feel when you're with me? You're wrong when you say that neither of us can know if what we have will be strong. I know. I know it for a fact. And if you'll just listen to your heart, you'll know too. I can see it in your eyes when you look at me. You love me just as much as I love you. Penelope, stop lying to yourself. I'm sure that you're not really happy with Percy. I'm sure of it. Look into the future. Can you see yourself being happy with Percy or can you see yourself with me? Just listen to your heart Penelope."

I wanted to believe him. I was listening to my heart, and it told me to go with Oliver, but my mind kept telling me that it was irresponsible. My mind forced me to shake my head. It forced me to say no when my heart and eyes were saying yes.

"Oliver, I can't. It wouldn't be fair. I just can't do it. I have responsibilities."

"To Hell with your responsibilities! What about the responsibility to your heart? To yourself? What about those? The most important ones!"

"I can't." I pulled away from him and backed away, shaking my head. "Please Oliver, don't wait for me. I just can't do it. Just move on. I'm no good for you. You deserve better. Please Oliver, don't." My heart broke looking at him. He held his hands out for me to come back. His eyes pleaded and his face contorted into a hurt grimace. I had never seen him look so wounded. It stabbed at my heart and my eyes began to burn.

"Penelope, please!"

"No, Oliver. I can't! Oh Merlin, I may want to...but I can't." With that I turned and ran out of the portrait hole and down the steps to the floor of the Head House. Instead of running to my room, I ran past the entrance and to an old abandoned room. I made my way to a far corner of the pitch black room and shrank down against the wall.

I brought my knees to my chest and rested my chin against them. Hugging my legs, I began to rock myself, letting out the trapped tears beneath my lids.

For the longest time, I sat there in that room and bawled. I knew I had just thrown everything away. Everything that I had wanted. Most of all, Oliver was gone now.

When the tears finally subsided and I was calm again, I finally knew.

I truly did love Oliver Wood.


	16. Hogsmeade Horrors

I am SOOOOO sorry that this chapter took so long. My computer's been broken. Luckily, it's running again and the chapters will be coming more often again. I hope you enjoy it. Be sure to REVIEW when you're finished reading it. Thanks to everyone!

Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter does not belong to me, I'm sorry to say. It's all the creation of J. K. Rowling.

The week passed in silence. Oliver sat as far away from me in his seat as possible, and no matter how many times I tried to talk to him, he would either shush me or completely ignore me as if I wasn't there. He wasn't the same towards Percy either. He avoided the paths he knew that we took to classes, and he steered clear of our dormitory. He went to sleep early every night to avoid me when I did my rounds. Whenever he did happen to see us heading toward him in the hall, his fists would clench, he would purse his lips, turn red, and quickly head in another direction. Each time he would run away, my heart would break a little more.

No matter how much my heart screamed at me to just tell him, the words just couldn't pass my lips. They were on the tip of my tongue at every moment, but he never heard them. My heart ached and I often cried myself silently to sleep.

Since I couldn't even tell Oliver, I couldn't tell Percy either. Maybe I was a coward, but I just couldn't tell either of them. I couldn't bring myself to tell Oliver, and for some reason, my mind wouldn't let me tell Percy.

'What would it do to him?' 'How would it effect your duties as Heads?' 'He would be crushed.' 'You can't do that to him in his last year, it would destroy him.' 'His studies would lack and you can't be responsible for that, he has so much going for him right now.'

No matter how much I tried to silence my mind, nothing seemed to work, and these words spun through my head giving me a constant headache.

Somehow, I knew I would have to make the decision of who to be with. Should I do the responsible thing, and stay with Percy, and fulfil everyone's predictions of us? Or should I go with Oliver, and throw everything to hell, just to be in love with him? Both choices had pro's and con's that kept me guessing and confused. I had no idea what would happen.

The weekend of the first Hogsmeade trip had finally arrived, and I feared spending a day without studies to occupy my mind. Now, all I had were the thoughts of Percy and Oliver.

Since it was the first trip, the 3rd years were not allowed to join, but only the elder years. As we headed down the staircase, they all looked out of the corridors at us in jealousy, and I couldn't help but feel sorry for them.

When Percy and I were right outside the castle, he suddenly stopped and waited.

"Come on Percy. What are you doing?" I whined and tugged on his arm. Still he wouldn't budge. "Percy, why are you..." I trailed off as I saw who was coming out of the castle.

Oliver held our gaze as he approached us. He wore a loose baseball tee, with a gray body and maroon sleeves, dark jeans that fit him perfectly, and maroon hightop chuck taylor converse sneakers. His hair fell lightly over his eyes and the wind played through his strands softly. His soft smile was back on his lips. It had been missing all week.

My heart sank as I saw what was attached to his arm. Suze clung to his left arm, a bright smile shining from her face. As they came closer, I tried to hide my heartbreak with a wavering smile.

"Hello Oliver, Suze. How are you two?" Percy was the first to speak since my voice was still choking in my throat. Oliver's eyes swept over me, but quickly went back to Percy and stayed there.

"Oh, we're just GREAT! This is going to be soo much fun today!" Suze quickly answered enthusiastically. She had finally gotten what she wanted: Oliver.

Oliver made no attempt to speak, but kept his lips in that small smile and Suze squeezed tighter to his arm. However, his hands remained in his pockets as she pressed against him. That small detail gave me the slightest amount of hope.

"I like your shoes, Oliver." Finally, I found my voice, but the only thing I could comment on were his shoes. I should be saying 'Oliver! I LOVE YOU! We belong together!', but no, all I could talk about were his shoes.

Finally, he turned to me. "Thank you. They're.."

"Chuck Taylor's. I know. My aunt is a muggle. She always gets me muggle things. I have them in pink, and dark blue. They're my favorite shoes." I smiled at him, and he kept his soft smile and nodded.

"Yeah, they're my favorites too. Can't wear them in Hogwarts though. Too many questions from others about muggle things to be bothered. You have dark blue for Ravenclaw, but you need to buy the maroon color," He pointed to his own sneakers, "for Gryffindor. After all, you are dating one."

His last sentence stung as he spat the word 'dating' and his eyes narrowed over that one word. I bit my lip and looked down, but he quickly regained his soft smile and turned back to Percy.

"Maybe I should buy some maroon ones." A little giggle came out of Suze and we all looked at her. All of our eyes squinted at her. She seemed to be the black sheep in our foursome.

"Well, Penelope doesn't need to get any kind of muggle article to show her love for me. That would be wasteful, and besides, I know how much she cares." His arm wrapped around my shoulder and pulled me up against him. I cringed, and gave him a small smile that turned into more of a grimace. I quickly looked at Oliver and his eyes seemed distant and furious, but his soft smile remained.

"Ok well, we're never going to get to Hogsmeade if we just stand here and chat. Let's get moving." I pulled away from Percy and walked ahead a few feet to get them moving. Once they started to walk, I stopped and let them go ahead. I walked behind them, watching Oliver as Percy talked on and on, waving his hands about in the air as he got worked up. The way Oliver would nod occasionally and his head would roll, I could tel he wasn't paying attention, as always.

Suddenly, a hand grabbed me and shook me roughly from behind, making me jump and let out a small yelp.

Turning, I saw May's round face bright with glee.

"Oh my gosh! I told you that Suze would get Oliver. She is _so_ lucky! Any girl would be so lucky to get him. Ugh, I wish it were me. But that's ok, as long as she's happy! Oh Merlin, this is exciting. Hehe, my prediction, by the end of the night, she'll have him in bed! Ooo, I bet she does. Suze can get any guy. She'll have Oliver wrapped around her finger by lunch. I have to go, but just watch, she'll get him." Her laughter trailed away behind her as she ran ahead to catch up to her other group of friends, leaving me speechless. I wasn't even able to get a word in, but there was one thing she was right about. Any girl _would_ be lucky to get him. I just hoped that she was wrong about the rest.

At Hogsmeade, I watched Oliver buy Suze ice cream, a small charm bracelet, a diary, a hairpiece, almost anything she asked for. She clung to his arm the entire time, and would squeal with delight at anything he gave her. Each time, my cheeks would grow more red. It should be me laughing with him, not her.

The day had grown cold and the sky became overcast. We could see little puffs of breath whenever we talked. The day seemed to match my mood. Finally, Percy found the one shop he wanted the most. He pulled on my hand and we entered the only bookstore in Hogsmeade.

"What are you looking for Percy?" I asked as we walked through one of the long aisles. Some of the books were covered with dust. Obviously, not many students bothered to buy books on a day off.

"Potions for Persistent Prodigies. Professor Snape said that only the best students use it. Help me find it." I rolled my eyes as Percy made his way to another aisle. Sure, he was an amazing student, but he was far from a prodigy. I shook my head, searching through the rows of books.

I traced my fingers over the covers, not really looking at any particular titles. Deep in thought again, I jumped when I heard a high pitched giggle from nearby. My eyes narrowed and I bent my head to see through the slits in the shelves.

The heat rose in my face as my eyes met Suze's eyes, full of mischief, and Oliver's chin. They were standing about a foot apart, with Suze backing away and Oliver advancing towards her slowly. Bending down further to a lower slit, I saw her hands folded over her chest, and Oliver's hands open in front of him as if preparing to grab something.

Suddenly they both stopped and Suze let out another giggle. I rose again to the higher slit just in time to see her rise quickly to give him a kiss, but I couldn't see where her lips landed. Still, my eyes grew larger in anger and my face turned bright red. Suze started running and Oliver quickly followed. I went after them, still fuming, but being sure to keep a safe distance so I wouldn't be seen.

I peeked out from the end of the aisle and saw them in the back corner. Suze had her back pressed against the shelves, and Oliver moved slowly towards her, his arms outstretched on either side of him. It looked just like when we had been in the dungeons together.

I wanted to scream at them, to scream at him for moving on so quickly. Besides, it wasn't over between us, I didn't want it to be over. I would have told him how I felt. I know I would have. He just had to wait a little longer.

_He couldn't wait forever._ A small voice inside of my whispered.

'SHUT UP! He could have if he really loved me!' I screamed at the voice, but I knew it was right. After all, it was my subconscious.

Then, as swiftly as a knife cutting through air, all hope left my heart as Oliver pounced on Suze and engulfed her in his arms. I couldn't see what they were doing because Oliver's back was in the way, but from Suze's delighted and muffled giggles, I could tell it was what Suze had wanted to happen, and exactly what I didn't want to happen.

Turning quickly, I ran to the front of the store. Soon, my pain turned to self-pity, then to a sense of betrayal, then to pure anger. My run turning to a furious stomping, I approached Percy just as he was being handed his change.

"Are you done?" I asked quickly, not stopping my pace.

"Yes, I just..."

"Good." I grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the store. I let go when I was sure he was still going to follow, and kept my pace heading down the street. From all the second glances, I was sure I looked like I was about to kill someone, but I didn't care.

"Hey guys! Wait up! Why did you just leave!" I heard Oliver and Suze calling from behind, but I kept on walking. I wasn't exactly sure where I was headed, but I didn't want them catching up to chat, so I looked quickly for a store to dodge into. Luckily, Honeydukes was right next to us, so I grabbed Percy and we quickly entered.

"I'm going to go find some Crackling Cransons. They always have them hidden in the dusty corner. I'll find you later." Percy headed off to the left in the far back that was deserted. Only he would go into the dusty corner that had the candy nobody in the wizard world would care to eat. I let him go though with no protest. I didn't want him around anyway at the moment.

I walked into an aisle near the front, but stayed back so I would be hidden from whoever would walk in.

After a few moments, Oliver and Suze entered and looked around. Suze waved to a group of Ravenclaws and with a last look at Oliver, headed over to them. When he was alone, I stepped out from the aisle with my arms folded over my chest.

I waited till he saw me, then made eye contact with him that obviously told him I wanted to talk to him. Then, before he could catch up, I headed to the back of the store, knowing that he would follow.


	17. Honest Heartbreak

I am SOOOOO sorry that this chapter took so long. My computer's been broken. Luckily, it's running again and the chapters will be coming more often again. I hope you enjoy it. Be sure to REVIEW when you're finished reading it. Thanks to everyone!

Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter does not belong to me, I'm sorry to say. It's all the creation of J. K. Rowling.

I stepped back into an aisle just across from the back exit and waited. Sure enough, Oliver came to the spot I wanted him to stand at and looked down the back aisle, not seeing me at his side. Quickly, before he could move, I pushed him roughly. Caught off guard, he stumbled and fell into the door, pushing it open and stumbling into the back ally behind the store.

_Perfect_.

I followed him quickly and closed the door shut tight after me. Regaining his senses, Oliver quickly straightened and started to advance towards me, his arms outstretched in question, but I spun on him abruptly and he stopped, almost taking a step back..

"Penelope, what..."

"How could you! How could you lie to me like that? How? Has everything been a lie? Everything! I thought you were sincere! But you're not! You're just horrible _boy_, driven by hormones and lust! Just like every other boy in this school! You're no better than any of them!" I spat out at him at the top of my lungs, the anger being met again with pain. Hot tears stung my eyes, and after a moment I let them fall, not caring anymore. I wasn't sure if they were tears of anger or heartbreak, and neither was he.

His eyes were wide and his mouth agape. He still had his arms outstretched and he didn't seem to know what to say. The wind picked up around us, making his shirt cling to his body and our hair fly. He ran his hand through his to keep it in place, but I left mine to flap madly around my face.

"Penelope, what are you talking about?" Was all he managed to say. I shook my head and bit my lip. With each second that he was confused, my anger and pain only grew.

"I'm talking about what you told me! It was all just some game you played wasn't it? You wanted to see if you could ruin your best friend's relationship and get me? What if you did, hm? Would you have taken me to bed, then just dump me? Is that all you wanted? You know, screw the bloody music career, you could go into acting, you bloody bastard! You really almost had me fooled. Good thing I saw you two. You couldn't get me, so you went after my best friend? You're just some sick demented little child aren't you? Aren't you!" I pounded my fists against his chest, but it didn't seem to hurt him at all. He firmly grasped my wrists and pulled me up against him, looking into my furious eyes. With all my might, I pulled out of his grip and backed away.

He let his arms fall and his mouth closed slightly. His eyes narrowed and he tilted his head to the side. Then slowly, he started to move towards me. I quickly turned my back to him and moved away.

"Don't touch me you bastard. You have no right." I looked over my shoulder at him again and he stopped abruptly. His lips pursed and he looked sad for a moment, then his sadness grew into anger and he started to flail his hands about and began to pace. When he talked, he stopped and screamed at my back.

"Fine! Fine then! Be that way! You have no bloody right to though, I'll tell you that. You're the one that broke _my_ heart, _remember_! You were the one who left me in that room alone to run back to you _precious_ Head Boy, who by the way, I _KNOW_ you don't love. You gave _ME _up! What, was I supposed to be heartbroken forever? Was I? Tell me now, because, you know, I just _hate_ to go against the Head Girl's wishes! Well you know what, I guess I didn't anyway, because my heart is still bloody broken! Happy now? Do you want to go back inside now? Now that you know I'm still crushed and I'm still crying inside? Does that please you, Ms. Clearwater? Yes, you hurt me, and my heart is fucking bleeding. Happy?"

_HE _was crushed? _HIM?_ How dare he lie again! I saw them in the bookstore! Why was he still trying to play this disgusting game? I turned back at him and we were both leaned towards each other, fuming.

"Oh no you don't! You don't start trying to yell at me telling me how crushed you are! I saw you and Suze in the bookstore. I saw you kiss her. I saw you corner her just that same way you cornered me! Do you play that little game with all your girls? You're a bloody LIAR! You just keep on LYING!"

"How am _I_ the liar!"

"You told me you loved me! You made me believe you loved me! YOU MADE ME LOVE YOU BACK!"

The steam still rose from me, but he suddenly stopped and stood back, his face softening. Rain started to pour on us, but neither of us moved.

"You love me?" He spoke softly.

"Don't! Don't you dare. Don't try to make me believe you still want me as badly as I thought you did, because just so you know, I haven't _touched_ Percy since that night in any way that you've touched Suze. This whole week, I've been dying inside trying to tell you, and you go and just get with my best friend. You're a bloody coward and you're weak. You disgust me." My voice lowered but my anger didn't. The rain drenched us both, but we still didn't move.

"I never touched Suze in any way that you're thinking. In the bookstore, she stole my wallet from my pocket, and I was trying to get it back from her. She tried to kiss me, and I moved my face so she only got my cheek. When I cornered her, all I did was struggle to get my wallet back. That's all you saw. I _do_ love you Penelope. More than you could ever know, and more than I could ever show you in this lifetime. Suze asked me to Hogsmeade. When I said yes, you and Percy were walking out of class together, and I was still so broken, I agreed. There's nothing between Suze and I, Penelope. You know that deep down." He spoke softly and slowly. I tried to remain furious at him, but his eyes told me he wasn't lying. His eyes always said it all.

We stood looking at each other, both breathing deeply from the shouting match we both had. "I meant every word I told you that night Penelope. I love you." The tears started to flow again, and before I knew it, my face was in his hands and he was kissing them away. Since the rain was still coming down, he couldn't tell what were tears and what was rain, but he just kept kissing my face.

I leaned up towards him and let him. My arms wrapped around his neck and he pushed me up against the brick wall of the store. Finally, my face still cupped in his hands, his lips lowered to mine, and for the first time, we kissed in that back ally in the soaking rain.

His lips were soft and sweet, and as his tongue danced around my mouth gracefully, my eyes snapped open and widened. As he put more pressure between us, pushing against me, the realization sunk in. With all my might, I pushed his face back, but his body still pressed against mine.

I looked at his soaked face, strands of his hair plastered to it and his eyes wide with question and alert.

"What's wrong?" He asked through panting.

"You," I said through panting as well, "you, were in my room that night. You were really there." Our eyes were both wide, but his quickly softened and a sly grin crossed his face. Without another word, he pressed his lips against mine again and his hands began to move up and down my body again.

Our clothes clung to our bodies and I could feel every curve of his back. One of my legs was between his, so I began to rub my right knee against his left leg, then wrapped my other leg around him. He moaned and lifted me so both legs wrapped around his waist and my head had to lean down to continue to kiss him.

Our kissing was passionate and hungry. We were starved for each other and we let each other know it. Our tongues danced and he nibbled slightly on my lower lip. He was firm with his kisses, but still soft in a way to make them loving and tender. We both moaned into each other, and his hands explored my body. I let him do whatever he wanted, and lifted my face away so that he eagerly attacked my neck, sucking and kissing all over. His lips went down to my collar and he nudged it slightly, but didn't go any lower as not to violate me in any way. Instead, his lips traced my skin back to my neck and kissed me in so many ways, I moaned and had to lower my head back down to feel his lips against mine again.

My fingers traced his neck, then ran through his soaked hair, something I had wanted to do for so long and was never able to with Percy.

_PERCY!_

My head lifted suddenly and he went back to tasting my neck, but I stuttered trying to get him to stop.

"Wait Oliver, no." He kept nibbling. "No wait. Oliver stop. Just stop for a minute. Please Oliver, come on stop." I lifted my hand from his neck and gently lifted his chin away from me. He stared into my eyes and I smiled at him, motioning for him to put me down.

Slowly, he placed my feet back on the floor, but wrapped his hands around my waist and kept me pinned against the wall.

"What is it?" He asked, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"Percy." One word, and he lowered his eyes and let his head fall. His wet strands of hair fell limply onto my chest, and I pushed them back over his head, lifting his face to mine again.

Our eyes were both sad and troubled, but his even more so.

"What are we going to do, Oliver? He's your best friend. How could we tell him? And his studies, we can't compromise that for him. Not now. It would be too devastating for him now."

"You're right. Percy lives on a tight plan for his life, and _this_ is definitely not part of it right now." He lowered his head so our foreheads met. "So how are we going to handle this?"

"I don't know." I bit my lip.

"Don't do that. I hate when you do that. You're lips are so pretty, it's a shame when you bite them. Instead of that, when you're nervous for now on, just put them here." He placed his lips on mine. Nothing else, just our lips touching, but it still sent tingles down my spine.

"Alright. I promise. But we still need to decide about Percy."

He let out a heavy sigh and put his forehead back on mine, as if it enabled him to think better. "Alright, this is what we'll do. We just won't tell him, for a little while. We'll keep it a secret. Besides, it's not like it's hurting him. It's actually helping him. If we tell him now, who knows what he'll do. He can't afford to let his grades slip now, not in his last year. I know it seems wrong, but it's the only way. At least for now. We'll tell him soon, when it's the right time. For now, we'll go on in public as if nothing is different. As for when we're in private..." His lips met mine again and this time his tongue moved into my mouth. He alternated between the amount of pressure he put, and before he backed away, he nibbled slightly on my lower lip.

Ohh, he was such a good kisser. Much better than Percy ever was.

I though for a moment, then decided he was right. It was the only way to deal with Percy. Just let him think that nothing was different. It would only help him in the long run. And besides, it wouldn't be forever. Just until the right time came when it would be so much of a blow to him.

"You're right. It'll just be a secret for a while."

His lips met mine again, but only for a few seconds, then he embraced me and his cheek rested on the top of my head. My arms slid around him and held him close. Rocking from side to side slightly, the rain slowed till it was just little drops tapping on our heads and shoulders, till finally it stopped and the sun came out to warm us.

Finally, this was where I truly did belong. In Oliver's arms.

To hell with 'supposed to,' and to expectations.

Finally, for once, I was following the responsibility to my heart.


	18. Explinations and Outbursts

Hey again everyone! Here's the new chapter. I hope you like it. Remember to REVIEW! New chapters will be up soon. ENJOY!

Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter and all it's characters do not belong to me, but to J.K. Rowling.

"Look at you two! You're absolutely drenched! What happened? Why were you out in the rain?" Percy asked us from the front entrance of Honeydukes, clearly amazed with his eyes wide behind his glasses.

"We were looking for you. We weren't sure if you left the store yet, and while we were outside it started to pour. You know how crowded it is in there, you can't tell who's in there or not." I said calmly, trying to hide my lies behind a smile.

"Well, just, stay back. I don't want to get wet. I guess we should get back to the castle then, before you too both catch your deaths." His lip went up in a small, yet disgusted sneer.

I decided to take advantage of the moment and mess with him a little.

"Oh Percy." I held out my arms and moved towards him for a hug, but he quickly held up his hands and backed away, cringing.

With a look of terror on his face, he nearly whimpered, "No, no Penelope. It's quite alright. Please, don't."

I turned to Oliver and gave him a smile, but had to press my lips together tightly to keep from laughing. I knew Percy would hate if he knew I was mocking him.

"Alright then," Percy cleared his throat and pulled down on his sweater as if he were about to proclaim some great statement, "let's get a move on." He stuck his right leg straight out and marched past us all as if he were leading us into battle. In a way, he was.

Oliver and I looked at each other, then each with a smirk, we followed behind Percy in an exaggerated impression of his march. People passing by thought it was quite amusing and snickered. In return, we would give them a curt wave or a salute, pretending we held great importance.

Finally, Percy began to notice the snickers and turned to look at us. Quickly, we let our hands clasp behind our backs and made our walk normal. He gazed suspiciously at us for a moment, but then continued his guidance to the castle.

There was a cool breeze, but through my soaked clothes, it felt like ice rubbing against my skin. I wrapped my arms around myself, but it didn't seem to help. Desperately, I looked around for something to drape over myself. Soon, I started to shiver.

I looked at Percy's back and examine what he was wearing. He had on one of the sweaters his mother made all the Weasley children, with the giant P on the front. Although I had worn one before, and it was actually quite comfortable, I decided I would try to take from Percy as little as possible under the circumstances. I didn't want to lead him on, and wanted to try to discourage him from loving me anymore, although I'm sure his feelings for me were far from love.

Shaking my head, I turned away from Percy and looked around. Perhaps we would pass by a stand selling clothing. Unfortunately, we were just leaving Hogsmeade, and there were no more venders or stores anywhere. I started to bite my lip again, shaking from the breeze wiping around me.

"I told you not to do that anymore." Oliver's lips were right near my ear and his warm breath was welcomed as he whispered. Stealing a quick glance at Percy, who's back was still turned, he bent down and quickly planted his lips on mine. They met for only an instant, but in that instant, I was immediately warmed throughout my entire body.

Still, when our lips parted, the coldness swept over me again and began to shiver.

Without a word, Oliver wrapped his arm around me and began to rub my side.

"Better?"

"Yes, thank you."

Although the wind still made my skin cold, his touch warmed my insides and made me take deep breaths to contain myself. I felt like jumping on him and kissing him madly all over his face, but with Percy there, I knew I couldn't.

"You're good at that." I whispered, still gazing straight ahead.

"At what?"

"At making me feel wonderful."

We smiled at each other, and I rested my head on his shoulder. The rest of the way, we walked in silence.

When we got to the front entrance, Percy finally stopped and turned to us, but the second he laid his eyes on us, his head jerked back as if something had just flown at him. His eyes went quickly from bewildered to accusing.

I stared back at him blankly, confused at his reaction. As soon as his hands went to his hips, I realized what he was angry at. Quickly, I jerked away from Oliver.

My hands fell to my front and clasped together. I let my head fall in shame, and began to examine the tips of my sneakers. As Percy's eyes bore into me, I couldn't help but feel horrible.

Luckily, Oliver quickly stepped forward and draped his arm over Percy's shoulder.

"Heh, stop looking so accusing mate. You're gonna burn a hole through her skull. She was cold from being so wet. I was just warming her up. Of course, she didn't want you to get wet, and since I was already soaked, I just figured I would be able to warm her up. It's getting mighty cold out, don't you think? That breeze sure is a killer through these wet clothes." Oliver chuckled and rubbed his arms, trying to enforce his lies. Well, actually, it wasn't so much of a lie.

Still, Percy's eyes looked suspicious.

"I guess you were right mate, we just might catch our deaths." Oliver made the perfect statement. Telling Percy he was right was the perfect way to get out of any situation.

Immediately, his pride swelled and he went into a rant about just how right he was.

"Why, of course I'm right. I'm never wrong about these things. I know you two better almost more than you do yourselves. Remember when you were in that terrible rainstorm your third year Oliver during that quidditch match? Well, I had to stay up all night and hear you sniffling and sneezing. Drove me nuts. And you Penelope, remember when we were in the woods that time..."the heat rose in my face and Percy let out an uncomfortable cough, "yes well, I think you understand. Let's go inside. Do you two have to go to Madame Pomfrey? Ugh, I would hate to spend the night in the hospital wing, but if it's necessary...well do you?"

"No." Oliver and I quickly answered.

"Good."He hurried up the stairs in his usual rushed manner.

"Percy wait up. Why do you always have to go so fast? There's no rush today. The castle is practically empty and there's no class. Percy, wait!" At the landing of our dormitories, he finally stopped and turned to face us.

"Penelope, just because you don't have something waiting for you does not mean you should dilly-dally. A person who always knows where they want to go, and gives that impression to everyone else, is a person who succeeds. If you slouch and slack, people will see it, and they will think of everything you do that way. Always give a strong impression Penelope, at all times." His speech and his Head Boy tone of voice almost put me to sleep, since I had heard it many times before. Each time had always been as irritating as the last.

"Percy, as I told you before, and in a tone in which I know you heard me, there is _nobody in the hallway with us._ It is just you, Oliver and I. No one else. You do not need to set an impression for us!" Percy began to turn an angry red as I spoke to him in my most demanding Head Girl voice. After all, if he spoke to me that way, what should stop me from speaking to him that way? My anger rose with his, and I heard my voice rising. "We are not some first year students walking by you in the hall that have never seen you before. We are your closest friends and we have known far longer and better than anyone else in this school that does not have the Weasley name! Do not treat us as insolent and naive, because you know that we are far from it! You are such a pig headed, ego maniac, sorry excuse for a..." The steam was bursting from my head and I was about to say the nastiest things I had ever spoken to Percy before when I felt Oliver's fingertips gently press into the small of my back. Knowing that he wanted me to stop, I bit my tongue and took in a deep breath, the fire still burning in my eyes.

Percy was as red at the Gryffindor crest and his lips were pinched together so tightly that the entire area around his mouth turned white. His fists were pressed against his hips and balled so tightly that his knuckles were snow white and looked as if they would rip through his skin.

I knew that if there was any way to get to Percy, it was to insult him. I had gone too far, but the words were on the tip of my tongue trying to break free. For me, I had not gone far enough. For over a year I held back every bad thing I thought about Percy, and now, with Oliver behind me, I was ready to spit it all in his face, but the one person who gave me the courage to do it, was the one who urged me to stop.

I glared as Percy, glanced at Oliver out of the corner of me eye, then stormed past Percy, wanting to knock him over on his arse. I decided that I would push him as I passed, and to my delight he did stagger, but Oliver steadied him and they watched me stomp away.

Halfway to the portrait, something grabbed me and spun me around with such force, I had to let out a small scream. It was quickly muffled by lips pressed against mine so roughly and hungrily, I stood there shocked for a minute, my eyes pressed closed.

Regaining my senses, I pushed him off with as much force as I could muster, and ready myself to scream at Percy for even touching me while I was so angry. How dare he, I didn't even want to be within five feet of him, let alone have his lips on mine.

My mouth open angrily and ready to scream, my eyes focused and saw Oliver standing before me, panting and shocked.

My angry mouth soon dropped open and my head shook, trying to explain I didn't know it was him, but before I decided on any words, I dashed forward and grabbed the back of his head, my fingers running through his hair, and pulled his lips onto mine as roughly as he had. Our rough kiss soon turned softer, but still with a passionate force, and our bodies were pressing together.

I didn't care about Percy. I didn't care about anyone walking by. I didn't care what anyone would say. With Oliver's arms wrapped around me, nothing mattered.

We didn't stop until it was absolutely necessary that we take a breath. Panting, he rested his head on the top of mine again. We seemed to fit perfectly in each others arms.

"So I guess you're not mad at me then?"

"For what?"

"For stopping you from saying what I know you've wanted to say for a year."

"The only person to be mad at is Percy."

"I sent him to the Great Hall to get a snack."

"Good, I don't want to see him anyway." Just because Oliver made me feel amazing, didn't mean I wasn't still was angry at Percy.

"Come with me somewhere? Please?" He asked, letting go to look me in the eye.

"Of course. Where?"

"I know you're going to think this is stupid, but the owlery. It um...has the best view of the pitch from there."

I burst out laughing and he looked down at the floor blushing. I took his hands in mine and found his eyes.

"I'd love to go with you. You know, for someone so obsessed with quidditch, you sure are insecure about what you know." I let out another small laugh but he only smirked.

"How would like to be known as the quidditch freak?"

"How would you like to be known as the boring bookworm?"

"_Touche." _

"And besides...you _are_ a quidditch freak!" I laughed again and smiled my most charming one to let him know I was joking.

"Well, you're a boring bookworm!"

"Oh, come now, do you _really_ think I'm a boring bookworm?" I backed away slowly and let my hands slip out of his, giving him a look to follow.

"Where are you running to now?" He asked in a low, curious voice, slowly following as I started to back away faster.

"Well, follow and find out."

"Well now, that sounds like a challenge. And what happened to the owlery?"

"Follow and find out." I repeated in a seductive voice. I wasn't _exactly_ sure where I was headed, but I knew I would think of something. I was good like that.

"If you put it that way, I _guess _I'm just gonna have to follow you."

I turned and started to run, hearing his feet behind me. We got about a foot past the dormitory when we heard a shrill scream from the end of the hallway.

"OLIVER WOOD! HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO ME!"


	19. Reasons to Rage

Hey again everyone! Here's the new chapter. I hope you like it. Remember to REVIEW! New chapters will be up soon. ENJOY!

Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter and all it's characters do not belong to me, but to J.K. Rowling.

Stopping dead in our tracks, I turned to Oliver. All the color drained from his face and was replaced with a look of terror. I didn't look past his eyes. I couldn't.

To anyone else, the shrill scream would immediately trigger the thought of a girl, but to us, who have known him for so long, we knew that Percy would scream like a woman when he was incredibly angry. Sad, we knew, but still, it didn't change the fact that we had been caught. The only problem was, how much had he seen?

Oliver was the first to turn. When his eyes finally left mine, I had to squeeze mine shut. Our plan had ended within an hour, and now everything would be ruined. It just wasn't fair.

My eyes stayed shut tight, even after I heard Oliver gasp and let out a deep breath. Could Percy really be so mad? I heard stomping and huffing, till I sensed he was next to us, then finally open my eyes.

My surprise and shock created the same reaction of Oliver's.

In front of Oliver, beat red with shoulders hunched and tiny fists balled, was a ferociously angry side of Suze that I had never seen before. At first, I was shocked that it wasn't Percy. I would have sworn my life on it that it was him who screamed. Then, after getting over that it in fact was Suze, I cringed back behind Oliver, brinking terror as she huffed and her eyes burned. I could have never imagined her so furious.

"Why did you leave me in Hogsmeade, Oliver?" She asked accusingly in a sharp voice.

"Well, I...You see, I..." Oliver struggled for words. It was the first time I had seen him so nervous, but I couldn't blame him, even I was hiding from her.

"WELL!" She shrieked. He glanced at me for an explination, but all I could do was widen my eyes. Luckily, the hall was empty, otherwise we would have definitely had a crowd around us.

"Well, I thought you were going to spend the day with your Ravenclaw friends. When we left, I didn't see you in the shop on the way out, so I thought you had just went with them. I'm really really sorry..._really. _I, uh, I looked everywhere for you though. I was actually sad when I couldn't find you. Right Penelope, right?" Looking at me for reinforcement, I quickly peeked out from behind his back.

"Oh yes, he was crushed. Honest. I told him that you probably went to tea with the girls. It wasn't exactly our fault Suze, you know how crowded Honeydukes can be. We're lucky we found Percy. We really just couldn't find you." I nodded enthusiastically to reassure her.

"What do you mean 'we'? You two stayed together the whole time? That's...strange..." She said slowly, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

Suddenly, we both jumped into explinations.

"No, no, not at all. We just happened to bump into each other..."

"Oliver came looking for you and I was just in one of the aisles he looked in."

"It was complete coincidence." We spoke fast and kept stealing glances at each other. She still looked suspicious and looked at us both, trying to see the truth.

A sly grin swept over her face and she sauntered over to me, brushing Oliver's arm. I straightened and stood rigid as she approached slowly with one hand on her hip.

Taking some of my hair between her thumb and forefinger, she rubbed it between her fingers and said slowly as if she knew some great secret, "You know, Penelope, dearest...you're hair feels _awfully_ damp..." she looked over at Oliver with flirtatious eyes that swept over him, "you too Oliver, honey." She let go of me and moved to Oliver. He stiffened slightly.

"Oh, after we couldn't find you in the store, I went to see if you were outside. I got caught in the rain, but Oliver was so frantic to find you, I didn't want to go inside without looking thoroughly for you..." I began, then Oliver jumped in to finish.

"And then I felt just awful that she was in the rain alone, so I went out to tell her to come back in. After she did, I kept looking for you, but once it stopped raining, Percy and Penelope came out, said they hadn't seen you, and we decided to leave. But honest, I was very disappointed that I couldn't find you."

Personally, I though it was an excellent story, and Suze seemed to be satisfied. I smiled at Oliver. _Mission accomplished_.

"Oh, Oliver! You sweetheart! You really cared _that_ much about me? Oh, I knew you were just the right guy for me! It's alright that we're not in Hogsmeade, we can still spend the rest of the day together. Besides, with the castle practically empty..." she lowered her voice and stood on her tippy-toes to whisper in his ear, "it's even better."

He looked down at her seductive face and his only expression was raised eyebrows and widened eyes. I knew that my face boiled. I couldn't stand to see her try and seduce him the way she had with so many other boys. Not with _my_ guy!

Her hand went to his cheek and stroked it. I wouldn't have called it an affectionate stroke. You can only be affectionate if you truly had affection for someone. All Suze had was lust. Once she had him for a while as a trophy, she would throw him away. No, her stroke was more provocative than anything. If she wasn't my friend, I might have even used the word 'sluttish.'

"Suze!"

She turned to me slowly, her hand still resting on his cheek.

"Yes, Penelope _dear_?"

"Don't you...have that report for Professor Lupin due? You really should get started. It's the perfect day for it."

"Oh, that can wait. Why waste time on work when I can have a great time doing other, more important things?" She turned back to Oliver. He looked at me helplessly and I grew more frantic by the second.

"Well..."

"Penelope!" My head snapped to the side past Oliver and Suze. Percy was marching towards us, a look of determination plastered on his face.

_Oh great, just what I need right now._

"Percy, I thought you were going to the Great Hall, mate." Oliver said nervously. This whole situation was making everything very shaky, now that we had something to hide.

"I decided that it would spoil my dinner, and I couldn't let Penelope just sit here and grow more angry without talking to her. That would be irresponsible." He turned and looked me directly in the eyes, his voice softening. "As I told you before, I was going to try to be more responsible to our relationship, not only my duties. One of my greatest duties is to you."

"Well, obviously I've missed a bunch here, but I'll let you two talk. Actually, _we'll_ let you two talk. See you guys later. Good luck." She said, winking and hold Oliver's arm. Thankfully, he refused to budge and stared at Percy and I.

Oliver's eyes caught mine and stared at me with question. I nodded my head towards Percy slightly, pretending I had itch on my shoulder, then shook my head. His eyes softened, then finally turned to realize Suze was tugging at him with all her might.

Percy opened door the dragged me inside, just as Suze was dragging Oliver away. We looked helplessly at each other just as Suze pulled Oliver past the doorway, and the door snapped shut between us.

By the time I turned away from the door, Percy was already pacing in front of the couch. He looked to be in deep thought with his hands clasped behind his back and his eyes narrowed with trouble.

Although I took notice to how he was pacing, I had already forgotten what I was in the common room for. My mind was clouded with thoughts of what Suze would try to do with Oliver.

Without a reason to talk to Percy in mind, as a reflex, I headed straight to my room. Before I made it past the couch, Percy burst out into complaint.

"Where are you going? Don't you know that I want to talk to you? I don't know where your mind has been Penelope, but it certainly hasn't been here in Hogwarts with me." He scolded, stopping his pacing and planting his hands on his hips, impatiently tapping his foot.

But my mind had been in Hogwarts...just not necessarily with him.

"I'm sorry Percy, I'm just tired I guess." I answered wearily, turning towards the stairs again.

"Well you were definitely not too tired to bawl me out in the hallway. And in front of Oliver, no less! If you have a problem with me Penelope, we should discuss it calmly and rationally in private. Not like some child throwing a tantrum. You said you wanted to be treated like an adult, then for heaven's sake, act like one!" He spoke to me as if I were his daughter that he had just caught drinking or something. That definitely woke me up and got my blood boiling.

"That is _just_ what I was talking about Percy! You treat me as a juvenile when I should be treated as your equal! I am _not_ some child that needs to be guided through life. If anything, _you_ are! You are such an old man, I should be calling you Grandpa. You never loosen up for anything. You hardly ever show any compassion, and if you do, it's about a 24 hour break and you're back at being you again!"

"What do you mean being me? I am me! You should try to be more like me! Look what I've already accomplished. Everyone respects me! I am loved by teachers and can get a prestigious job at the Ministry. I have the world going for me. I am only trying to get you to where I am at now. I'm _trying_ to help you, because I love you. If you don't care to see that, then be that way, but do not embarrass me again in front of people the way you did today in the hallway." He folded his arms and nodded his head as if what he proclaimed was law.

"Embarrass you? _Embarrass you?_ Is that what this whole thing is about? That I embarrassed you in front of the only other person who understands that you're a complete ASS! And you know what Percy, you're not some genius child! You're hardly even close to it! You study for 10 hours a day and hardly ever break for anything! Oliver and I, we hardly ever study what we need to know, and we get _just_ as high marks as you do. We are just as qualified as you are for the Ministry. The only difference, is that we don't always go _shoving_ in everybody's face! And NOBODY respects you! And if they did, it ends the second they first talk to you. People are disgusted and annoyed by you. And it's not jealousy, no. Don't think so highly of yourself. It's pure distaste."

His jaw dropped and he stared at me with disbelief that I was finally speaking out to him. Without Oliver here to stop me, I was far from being finished.

"And teachers, they can hardly stand you! Anyone can see it! It's not love, it's irritation. They love you about as much as you love having a single wrinkle in your robes. Oh, and while we're discussing love, let's talk about ours. You call what you show me love? Well, then that is pretty bloody disgusting, because the only thing I get out of it is a migraine. To hell with your bloody affection, because if that's all you have to give, I DON'T WANT IT! The 5 minutes a week I get of any sort of love from you, is _not worth this aggravation_!" With that, I turned and thrust open the portrait door, running out, leaving him behind in utter shock.

I kept running till I was pushing open the front doors of the castle. The sun was setting, but it was still fairly high in the sky. The Dementors wouldn't be near the castle for some time yet.

Walking aimlessly, hands in pockets, occasionally kicking a rock, I wandered around the grounds. I didn't look up, but kept my head down in thought. I found a path and started to follow it, not really caring where it led.

I tried to decide what to do. Should I go back to Percy and apologize? I knew it would be the kind thing to do, but it just didn't seem right. I had meant every word I said and it would be wrong to myself to take them back. Should I just run straight to Oliver? Throw myself into his arms and tell him that we should throw everyone else to hell, to just be together? I just couldn't decide.

Perhaps I should go back to Percy. Not exactly be the same with him, but apologize, just so Oliver's plan could work. Or, I could just leave Percy now. Nothing seemed to be right. There were so many problems with each choice. I knew I had to pick one, but I just couldn't seem to find the perfect solution. Each had it's dangers and faults.

As if fate had decided for me, telling me which to choose I stopped on the path and looked up to see where I was. That first night between Oliver and I, we had broken rules, acted dangerously, and although it had been irresponsible and an imperfect plan to go out into the night together alone, it had been the best night of my life, and completely worthwhile.

Looking up, I had led myself straight to the Quidditch Pitch.


	20. Pain

I am SOOOOO sorry that it took so long for this chapter. I've been really busy lately, and hasn't been letting me log in. Please keep reading, I promise that the chapters will be coming regularly again. Enjoy, and remember to please REVIEW! Your comments are important to me:) Recommend this story to your friends too!

Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter and all it's characters do not belong to me, but to J.K. Rowling.

I sat watching the sunset over the lake. From the seats Oliver had shown me, the view gave me peace and comfort. The chill of Fall made my arms wrap around my body as the breeze played through my hair, but the distant warmth of the dimming sun fell across my face. I closed my eyes and bathed in the retreating light, a small smile on my face.

I cleared my mind of all thoughts and just watched the beauty of the sunset. As the edge of the sun graced the lake, colors danced across it, rippling along the water. Clouds turned a purplish-pink and the sky turned the same maroon that Oliver wore today. The castle sparkled in the light and looked as if diamonds had been planted throughout the stones.

Sucking in the autumn air, I felt relaxed and comfortable. Since I set foot in Hogwarts this year, this was the most comfortable I had felt.

Closing my eyes again, I tilted my head back. Through the darkness behind my eyelids, I saw Percy, standing at the bottom of the rows staring up at me, fuming and raging, his body trembling with his anger. He had his wand pointed at me with a steady hand, and before I could move, a green smoke was shooting out at me after he screamed the words "_Avada Kedavra!"_

Gasping, my eyes snapped open, my head turning to the direction he had been. I looked around bewildered at the empty rows and found myself alone. The shock of what I had seen made me uneasy. I felt tense again and kept looking all around me. It had been so clear, I thought I was dead for sure.

The sun was halfway under the horizon of the lake. The colors turned darker, and the sky had turned almost a crimson blood color.

Knowing I wouldn't be able to feel comfortable again, I got up and started to head down the stairs. It was better to go in before the Dementors moved in towards the castle anyway.

I almost laughed at the bittersweet irony. Even at the most peaceful place at Hogwarts, during the most peaceful time of day, Percy just seemed to ruin everything.

By the time I got back to the castle, I knew that dinner was already over. The halls were empty and the torches were dimmed. It was about time for my rounds, so I decided to head upstairs towards the dorms.

Not wanting to have any type of discussion with Suze or May, I only poked my head into Ravenclaw, making sure there were no wild parties going on, then closed the portrait quickly. I knew there would be nothing but students working on reports and projects. There was never anything exciting happening in that dorm. There probably never would be.

I took my time getting to Gryffindor. There was no rush. I was sure that Oliver would be waiting up for me. I was actually nervous about how he would react about what I had said to Percy.

On my way, I practiced just how I would break it to him. That is, if Percy hadn't already said something. But I knew he wouldn't have. It would hurt his pride too much.

Passing by a lavatory, I decided to stop and tidy myself up. I was sure that my hair was a mess from blowing in the wind and my clothes were askew from running around crazily. Oliver wouldn't mind, but still, it didn't hurt to look nice for him. Besides, there was no pretending that Suze wasn't a real catch. She would go with a number of guys, but you were definitely of high rank when you were part of that group.

However, when Suze had her eye on you, it was almost like a death sentence. If you weren't interested in her and turned her away, you were completely insane in everyone else's eyes. Then again, if you went with her, you were branded as her leftover. Most guys would go with her, be one of her trophies, and in turn, they could say that they had been with her. I suppose it was always better to be her token than to be the odd-one-out. No available guy had ever said no to her. She was definitely what a girl would call competition.

I ran my hands through my hair and looked in the mirror. A deep frown crossed my face as I mentally compared myself with Suze. I was paler than her, and compared to her olive tone, I looked almost sickly. She had cute tiny freckles that crossed her nose, but all I had were slightly rosy cheeks. My short blonde hair was nothing compared to her long flowing black hair.

After scrutinizing myself and making complaints, I stepped back and stopped comparing myself. Instead, I just looked at myself, not thinking about Suze.

Little by little, I liked what I saw. Although my skin was light, I did have a healthy looking complexion and my rosy cheeks complimented my blue eyes. My nose was narrow and my lips were full, and I didn't have a touch of acne. My hair was full and golden. Maybe it wasn't flowing and luxurious, but it had life and motion to it.

A small smile played on my lips as I admired what I did have, not what I didn't. Maybe I wasn't as seductive as Suze, but on my own, I had my own type of beauty.

"Penelope Clearwater, you can definitely be considered a catch." I told myself proudly.

With that, I walked out of the lavatory with more pride and determination. After all, I had someone waiting for me. I had a feeling that Oliver would wait just as long for me as I would for him. There was nothing more that I wanted than to be with him.

I wouldn't let anything stop us. I wouldn't let Percy get in the way. I wouldn't let what other people thought bother us. Nothing could tear us apart. I wouldn't let anything tear us apart. I couldn't.

Finally, with my determination as fuel, I reached the Gryffindor common room. Taking a deep breath, I readied myself to tell Oliver what had happened with Percy. He would be a little disappointed, I was sure, but he would see it as a good thing too. Now we could be together with no guilt. Percy wouldn't stand between us. No one would.

I let the password slide past my lips and made my way past the Fat Lady. As always, the only light in the room was the glow of the fire that cast shadows in the corners. The tall windows at the side of the room were dark except for the twinkle of the stars outside. There were no clouds out and the full moon shone brightly.

Oliver wasn't waiting for me as I expected. He knew it was my night to patrol Gryffindor, so where was he? Shrugging, I walked over to the windows and gazed out. Perhaps Suze was keeping him after dinner for something. I could see her trying to impress him with him only wishing to get away. It was enough to make me chuckle to myself. Soon she would know that Oliver was mine and feel as foolish as she sometimes was.

The grounds below were lit by the moonlight. Gryffindor had a much better view than Ravenclaw. Out the windows you could catch a glimpse of the corner of the lake and the beginnings of the Forbidden Forest. I admired the sights when a figure moving quickly across the grounds caught my eye. It looked like, well, actually, I couldn't quite make out what it was. My eyes followed it's fast pace intently. Perhaps it was a dog? It was quite big for a dog however.

Soon, it disappeared into the forest, and I lost interest. Whatever it was, it now belonged to the forest. I pressed my forehead against the cool glass and let my eyes close. A howl erupted from the woods. I ignored it, letting it blend in with all the other sounds the forest made at night. In my last 6 years at Hogwarts, it had become something of a lullaby.

What could be taking Oliver so long? He shouldn't even be out of the dormitory this late. Staring at the portrait entrance, I wondered where he was. Suze couldn't possibly keep him occupied this long without his cooperation. She was one to easily get bored when something didn't go her way and just drop it.

Maybe he was talking with Percy? That thought made my heart beat fast. I didn't want him to talk to Percy about what had happened before me. Percy would tell him a load of nonsense and hardly any of it would be the truth. He had to hear it from me.

My blood now hot with fear, I quickly made my way towards the doorway to see if the two of them were together. Nothing could be worse than him hearing what happened from Percy's perspective. I was halfway across the room when a moan from upstairs cut through the dead silence of the dormitory. It was rather loud, and wasn't a noise one usually made in their sleep.

My fear of Percy and Oliver quickly melted away and was replaced by my Head Girl responsibility. If someone was in trouble, it was my job to see what was wrong. Quickly but quietly I made my way up the stairs. I frowned when I came to the point where the stairway parted to the Girl's and Boy's rooms. I wasn't sure where it had come from. Luckily, it came again, louder this time, from the direction of the Boy's rooms.

Each room housed a different year, so I peeked into each one to see where the moan was coming from. In every one, each boy was content and silently sleeping. Towards the end of the hall, there was only one room left...The 7th year room.

Oliver was the only 7th year male Gryffindor. It was his room alone. Could he be hurt? Were these the usual sounds he made while he slept and everyone had just grown immune to it? Slowly, I crept closer to the door. I was dreading what I hadn't even seen yet. I knew whatever the answer, I wasn't going to like it.

I stayed to the side of the door and peeked in. The room was dark and the first bed I saw was empty. Moving a little to the side, I positioned myself so I could see the other bed across from it.

I didn't move. My expression didn't change. No thoughts raced through my mind. I just stood there, rooted to the ground, completely indifferent. It was most likely my reaction to the shock, but at the moment, it felt like I didn't even care.

There were two people in the bed, their bodies glistening with sweat. His hair was sprawled over the pillow. His face was covered by her long dark hair as she bent forward to feverishly kiss him. They both moaned in pleasure as he gripped her hips and she moved back and forth. She giggled and flipped her hair, giving me a full profile of her face in the candlelight. Suze had gotten exactly what she wanted, and Mae was right in her predictions.

I guess I had been wrong. There were worse things than Percy talking to Oliver. I was witnessing it for myself. I had no emotions over what I was watching till I realized the entire time, I hadn't been breathing.

Suddenly, it all hit me at once. The blood drained from me and I was shivering, but my skin felt like it was on fire. My teeth barred together and my fists clenched. Everything inside me broke and shattered. I had never experienced such pain and hatred with so much passion before. It hurt and my heart pounded. The tears were steadily streaming down my face now.

I couldn't move. All I could do was watch them as they finished and both screamed out in pleasure. She collapsed onto his body and he held her tightly against him. They panted and held each other until their breathing became normal.

My eyes burned from all the tears. It felt like someone was repeatedly stabbing my heart. Everything he told me, everything he made me believe, it was all a lie. I was a fool. He truly made me believe him at Hogsmeade. Suze was seductive, but he could have said no. He could have refused! He didn't know what love was any more than I did, but I knew that it wasn't this. If he ever did feel anything for me that resembled love, he would never be able to show me now, because I wasn't going to be a fool again. I should have never given him the chance to break my heart.

I ran from the doorway, the thudding of my feet echoing throughout the hall. I didn't care if I woke anyone. It would be a small annoyance to them compared to what my heart was going through. When I got to the stairs, I tried to take them two at a time, but I lost my balance and fell, twisting my leg beneath me. This time, Oliver wasn't there to catch me. I cried out, causing more tears to fall from my eyes.

I sat there and pulled my leg out from under me to straighten it out. Roughly, I bit my lip to keep from crying out again as I saw the blood begin to soak through the knee of my jeans. Suddenly, there was a light from down the corridor and I made out the silhouette of a boy down the hall with a blanket draped around him come out of Oliver's room. The last thing I wanted Oliver to see was me sitting here broken and bleeding, knowing that I had seen him. With as much strength as I could muster, I lifted myself up and continued quickly down the stairs. Luckily, nothing was broken.

Finally, I made my way to the doorway. Throwing it open, I flung myself into the corridor and began running. As I looked back one last time, I ran right into the arms of the person I wanted to see the least at that moment.


	21. The Last Refusal

I am SOOOOO sorry that it took so long for this chapter. I've been really busy lately, and hasn't been letting me log in. Please keep reading, I promise that the chapters will be coming regularly again. Enjoy, and remember to please REVIEW! Your comments are important to me:) Recommend this story to your friends too!

Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter and all it's characters do not belong to me, but to J.K. Rowling.

"Penelope?"

Immediately my hands balled into fists and started pounding against his chest. Of course he was unfazed by it and merely held my wrists so they couldn't move.

"Jeeze, what's with you? Why are you always so hot and cold? One minute everything is wonderful and the next, you hate me again. What happened? Why are you crying?" His face bent down to mine but I closed my eyes and turned away.

"I hate you Oliver. I absolutely hate you. How could you do that to me, AGAIN? Why do you just keep lying?" I looked at his reaction, and quite honestly, it even caught me off guard.

He was completely bewildered. His face contorted and his eyes were more hurt and confused than I had ever seen them. Still, I pursued. He wasn't going to lie to me again.

"I saw you! In your room! With SUZE! Did you think I wasn't going to find out? How could you do that to me!" His jaw dropped and struggled to find words. Finally, instead of saying anything, a smile crept across his face and he let out a small laugh.

"Penelope, how could you have seen me if I'm standing right here in front of you?"

"I...well, why don't you explain that to me. No matter what you say Oliver Wood, I SAW you in that room!" He let go of my wrists and I stared up into his clear blue eyes.

"You didn't see me in that room." His hand went to stroke my face but I pulled away roughly and glared at him. He looked hurt for a moment but continued. "I'm the only one who uses that room, so sometimes I let some of the guys use it when they need...privacy. That was Tyler in that room. Pretty soon after we left you and Percy, Suze got bored with me and ended our date. Her and Tyler go back some time. He's a sixth year now. I've been in the lavatory with Dean this entire time. It seems somebody in Hogsmeade slipped him some ale, and now he's completely sick. Heh, it's actually quite funny." He looked me in the eye. "I promise you, Penelope."

"Why should I believe you?" I folded my arms and turned away. I wasn't ready to give in yet. What if he was still lying? "It's probably just another act."

"I have never acted towards you before! Where is this relationship going to go if there's no trust?"

"WHAT relationship? You slept with Suze, remember? You still expect me to be with you?"

"I NEVER slept with Suze! Why can't you believe me? Do I look like someone who just got out of bed? Do I?"

No...

"And there's no apparating in Hogwarts, so how could I have gotten here in front of you, when the portrait is over there? You know that there's only one entrance and exit to the dormitories."

He had a point. Maybe it was someone else in his room. But I saw his hair. I didn't know anyone else with hair that looked like his.

"Everything alright out here Wood?" I turned abruptly to see a boy peeking his head out of the Gryffindor portrait. He was holding a sheet around his waist and his hair was dripping with sweat. The sweat made some of his strands straight, but the parts that were dry were really quite curly. My jaw dropped and I looked back at Oliver.

He stared down straight into my eyes, a cold look of indifference on his face. "Yes, Tyler. Everything is fine."

Tyler nodded and retreated back into the room. Oliver's eyes never left mine.

I struggled for words but wasn't able to find any. What could I say? I had just accused him of cheating with my best friend and I wouldn't listen to a single word he said.

"Why am I defending myself to you? Why do I even bother trying to make you believe me? Why do I bother trying to make you love me?" He shook his head then quickly turned on his heel and started away. Before I could say anything, he turned the corner and disappeared.

I slumped against the wall and slid down, pulling my knees to my chest and burying my face in my hands. I was a horrible girlfriend. That's probably why Percy was so cold. It wasn't him, it was me. Why didn't I believe Oliver? With love came trust right?

I did love him. I know I did. My heart was just too broken to listen. I wanted to be mad at him. I wanted to be furious. I had every right to be. No, I had no right at all. I should have let him explain himself. I should have listened. Why was I always so cynical and pig-headed? Maybe I was like Percy. Maybe Oliver and I were never meant to be.

No, we were meant to be together. We were MADE to be together. The way I fit perfectly into his arms, the way his smile makes me happy, the way we're complete opposites and exactly alike. There was no better match in the world than between Oliver and I. We had to be together.

I always jump to conclusions and I always pay for them. Oliver was right. He shouldn't have to bother making me believe him. I should always believe him no matter what, because I know that he would never hurt me. I was just too afraid to be hurt. Seeing the two of them in that room, I felt like my heart had been ripped out. The feeling of heartbreak and betrayal is the worst anyone could ever experience.

He figured out before I did that I would be too stubborn to listen to him. No matter what he told me and how right he was, I wouldn't let myself be wrong. It wasn't fair to him.

Well, now it was my turn to run after him. It was my turn to be hurt for not having him. I deserved the pain.

This time, I wasn't going to let anyone step in. This time, I wasn't going to let anything keep us apart. This time, I was actually going to keep this promise to myself.

I got up and looked in the direction Oliver had gone to. I closed my eyes and in an instant known where he had gone. Quickly, I made my way in the direction he had fled to.

Slowly, I made my way up the cobblestone stairs. I could see through one of the open windows. The moon was shining full through it. There was no glass so the owls could freely fly in and out, and a cool breeze blew the hair out of my face.

I stood in the stone doorway and stared at Oliver's back. The wind blew through his hair, and the moonlight outlined his figure. His breathing was slow and he didn't move as he stared out of the window. I looked past him and saw the quidditch pitch. As usual, he was right and the view was amazing. The lake glistened in the moonlight and the stars shone brightly.

Quietly, I crept up behind him as his words echoed in my mind.

"_Why do I bother trying to make you love me?"_

My hands slid under his arms and across his front, holding him against me as I pressed my cheek against his back.

"Because you love me."

He didn't move. His breathing stayed steady, and he didn't give any kind of acknowledgment towards me. We stood like that for moment, our breathing becoming one.

Finally, he took one deep breath and put his hands over mine.

"Because I love you."

I felt like crying again. I buried my face into his back. Surely he could feel me smiling. He turned and held me in his arms, placing his cheek on my head. I held him close to me and breathed in his scent. I would never let him go again.

"Come and look. I wanted to show you this earlier. Do you see the pitch? Well, look just under the Gryffindor crest. See the silver glint? That's my name. I engraved it there with my wand in my second year. Nearly broke my neck trying to do it too." He described the engraving with pride. "Now, I'll always be part of the pitch."

"You're a captain that they'll remember forever. Even if your name wasn't branded on the wall." He beamed at the compliment.

Finally, I couldn't help it anymore. I pulled him down and held his face until his lips reached mine. We kissed like two lovers that had been separated all of theirs lives. In a way, we were. I held the back of his neck to be sure he wouldn't pull away. I was running out of breath but I wouldn't let myself stop.

Suddenly, my leg buckled and I began to drop away from him. Luckily, he caught me just as I was about to hit the floor.

"Heh, I guess you make me weak in the knees." I kidded, but held onto him as my leg throbbed with pain. I looked down at the blood soaked knee and winced.

"What happened to you Penelope?" Oliver asked in concern, gazing at my knee.

"Well..." I clung against him to keep from falling and he held me tight. Just as I was about to explain, someone else came into the owlery.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? Ms. Head Girl and Mr. Quidditch Freak. How lovely." A smug looking boy with platinum hair and gray eyes smirked at us from the doorway. He leaned against the doorframe and folded his arms. I recognized the boy. In the last few years, I'd deducted at least 200 points from him and his friends. I looked worriedly at Oliver, but only saw him glaring intently at the boy.

"I guess you were bored with the Weasel then, huh, Ms. Head Girl? Does he know about this, or is it completely behind his back? Oh, this is great. I wish that I could be there when he finds out. If possible, make sure I'm in sight when you break it to him. I love to see Weasels cry. Trust me babe, you could have found a lot more fun in Slytherins though. Gryffindors are such pretty boys. If you're looking for some excitement, just come down to the dungeons sometime. We'll show you a good time." His smirk was beginning to disgust me.

"Shut it, Malfoy!" Oliver spit his name out as if it tasted bad in his mouth. It probably did. "What are you doing here?"

"I don't have to explain myself to you, Wood." He shot back fiercely.

That's when I stepped in. I tried to sound authoritative, ignoring the throbbing of my leg.

"No, but you _do_ have to answer to me." I waited for his answer but he only stood staring at me. "_Well_?"

"You never asked a question." He replied mockingly innocent.

"Malfoy you little..."

"It's fine Oliver. He's right. Now, what are you doing here? You should be in your common room." I retained my composure. I didn't need a scene between everyone right now.

"I'm owling my father a letter." He pulled a rolled up scroll out of his folded arms. "Very urgent. He doesn't like things to be late." His eyes stayed locked on mine, his eyebrow slightly raised in smugness and annoyance.

"Fine then, send your letter and be on your way."

"Why, thank you, Mrs. Wood." Oliver almost lunged at him, but I held on to him tightly as Malfoy made his way over to a black owl. I watched him silently as he tied the letter to the bird's leg and sent it on its way. He turned back to us and brushed his hands together. "All finished."

"Ok then, back to your dormitory now. If any teachers catch you, it's your own responsibility." He made his way towards the door, taking his time, enjoying Oliver's inability to do anything while I held him back.

"Don't worry about it. Slytherins are known for their slyness." As he was nearly at the door, he took one last look at us and snorted. "Don't worry your little heads now. I'm not going to tell anyone about it. It's not scandalizing enough for anyone to really care. Why waste my time, right? Have a nice night." He strolled down the steps with his hands in his pockets. I instantly despised him. Oliver was still glaring after him once he was out of sight. I let my domineering image go and clung onto him, trying to hold myself up. He snapped back into attention and grabbed onto me again.

"What happened to you? Why are you bleeding?" He guided me over to a stool and sat me down. Carefully rolling up the leg of my pants, he examined my wound. I winced as I stared at the deep gash.

"I fell."

"Well obviously." He took out a handkerchief from his pocket and began to dab to blood around the cut. Once that was cleaned, he pressed the cloth over the gash while he reached for his wand. Murmuring a spell, he waved the wand over the cut until a silvery mist came out of the tip. The mist filled the cut, instantly cooling it. I sighed in relief. Oliver looked up at me and smiled. Soon, the gash started to grow smaller until it was completely gone. Oliver bent his head down and kissed the place where the cut had been. "All better now." He rolled down my pants again and helped me up. The pain was completely gone.

"Where did you learn to do that? We never took any classes on medical spells." He never ceased to amaze me.

"My father is a doctor." He shrugged as if it was nothing. "It's one of the things Percy is jealous of me for. It's a spell that he can't do, and I can." We both smiled, but mine soon faded as I remembered Percy.

"Oliver, I have to tell you something." He definitely wasn't going to like this.


	22. Innocent Intruder

I am SOOOOO sorry that it took so long for this chapter. I've been really busy lately, and hasn't been letting me log in. Please keep reading, I promise that the chapters will be coming regularly again. Enjoy, and remember to please REVIEW! Your comments are important to me:) Recommend this story to your friends too!

Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter and all it's characters do not belong to me, but to J.K. Rowling.

"Can't it wait till later? You're going to have to get back to Percy soon. Tell me while we walk back. Let's just enjoy this moment." He scooped me up in his arms and held me as we gazed at the moon and the stars.

For a minute, I actually contemplated not telling him. I really did just want to stand there in his arms, to let everything else just fall away. Why did this all have to be so complicated? I just wanted to be with him and not have to worry about Percy and everyone else. If any of them could just be us for 5 seconds, they would see we were really meant to be together.

So I stood there, in his arms, breathing into his chest and soaking in the moment. Maybe it would all turn out alright. Maybe breaking up with Percy would turn out even better than I thought. Maybe Oliver would decide we could just be together now and not have to sneak around.

So with those thoughts in mind, I blurted it out. I shattered the sweet peaceful silence around us. His body stiffened and his steady breathing stopped. Feeling that he was going to back away from me, I held onto him tighter as if it was going to be the last time I would ever have him in my arms.

"I'm sorry Oliver, it just happened. You know how he can be! I couldn't take it anymore. He's unbearable. He treats me like a child." Still, Oliver remained silent. "This is good though, isn't it? Don't you see? Now we don't have to sneak around behind his back. It's better this way. Right?" I stepped back, my arms still around him to see his eyes.

They looked distant and troubled. "Is it better, I suppose." he started slowly. "But we still can't be a common couple. If we turn up tomorrow, or even in a week from now, it would be too soon. You two were together for over a year. And I'm his best friend. It would destroy him."

I looked at the ground. He was right. We still would have to sneak around. No matter how much I despised everything Percy was a stood for, I didn't want to hurt him...at least not emotionally.

"I suppose you're right. But Oliver, I just couldn't bear him anymore. Are you mad at me? Please don't be." The last thing in the world I wanted was for him to be mad at me too. If I lost him, after all I went through to realize he was the one for me, I wouldn't be able to go on.

"I could never be mad at you." And with that, he held me against him again. I sighed into his chest and looked out at the pitch again. Would we ever be able to be something more than a whisper?

"We should probably get back." He started. "Filch might come around soon."

"Just a few more minutes. Please?" He feel silent and we watched the stars dancing. They were free, why couldn't we be? "Your first Quidditch match is next weekend. Are you nervous?"

"I have a feeling we'll do alright. Harry's been feeling a little under the weather, but he's never let me down before."

"You'll do great. You have the best team in the school."

"You're just saying that. Besides, we're playing Ravenclaw. Your house-mates wouldn't want to hear you talking like that."

"I won't tell if you don't." I couldn't help but smile. Not so much at the conversation, but that we were actually _having_ a conversation. One that didn't break hearts or feel awkward.

"I promise not to. Come on, we have to go now. I have a feeling McGonagall already knows about our escapade our first night back, we can't risk anything else."

With that we headed down the stairs. His arm was around my waist, something Percy could never do. We walked with ease, and I leaned against him. I never felt so content, until Oliver stopped before turning the corner to the Head dorm.

"I should stop here, in case Percy is waiting. If he sees me, all hell will break loose."

"Alright, I'll see you soon." I stood on the balls of my feet to reach up and kiss his lips. "I love you."

He leaned forward and slipped his arms around me, turning the good-night kiss into something much more passionate. When we finally broke apart, I had to force myself to back away from him. I couldn't pry my eyes away till I turned my back around the corner.

I felt like I wanted to jump in the air and scream when I heard him call my name softly. I turned to see his head popping out from around the corner.

"I love you too." He blew me a kiss, winked, and was gone. My heart swelled, and wandered into the common room, completely unaware of the world around me.

As I got to the stairs however, I was jolted back into reality by Percy's chastising voice.

"And where exactly have you been? You know what, it's not even of importance. What is important is that you have been gone, after hours, for nearly 2 hours now. I know that it doesn't take that long to make your rounds. I know we quarreled earlier, but I figured that after at least a half hour you would have calmed down. Honestly, Penelope, you can be so childish." His hands were on his hips as he stared down at me. He still hadn't changed his tone of voice from earlier.

"You actually think that what I said earlier was just some common _quarrel_? Percy Weasley, I meant every single word I said earlier! I don't want anything to do with you anymore! We are over! Think back to everything I said to you earlier, and actually have it register in your mind this time! We are finished. I thought that a genius such as yourself could have gotten that through your thick skull by now." I pushed past him into my room. Slamming the door shut, I put as many locking spells as I could muster on it.

"Penelope, really, open this door now. If you don't, I will. Do you think that I can't get through these charms?" He yelled from the other side of the door.

"Percy, I swear, if you undo a single one of those locks, I will hex you into oblivion, and don't think I won't do it. You know perfectly well that I am capable of it too." That seemed to shut him up, because there was silence for a minute, until I finally heard his door shut on the other side of the hall.

I breathed a sigh a relief. I hoped that we wouldn't have to go through this every time we came into each other's presence. I didn't want to take a chance with another encounter, so I decided not to wash up and just put on pajamas.

Climbing into bed, I felt how hoarse my throat was becoming from all the shouting that had taken place. The next time I saw Percy, I would simply walk away.

Sleep came and went during the night. At first it came easily, the dawning of exhaustion sweeping over me quickly, but about an hour into my peaceful slumber, I could have sworn I heard Percy shouting a spell, and woke with a start. After that, I couldn't help but toss and turn. Soon I decided to just lay with my eyes closed, hoping that sleep with come over me in its own time.

After a while, I thought it had. The last thing I remembered was a cool breeze blow through my hair and against my cheek. Soon, the same dream that I had had that first night came over me. My wrists were above my head, pinned softly yet firmly against the pillow, and kisses were planted all along my collar. I moaned softly, enjoying the tingle of his lips against my skin, sucking in the sweet aroma that rose from him.

This time, however, the realization sunk in fast, and my eyes snapped open, revealing that this was no dream. I could barely see at first as my eyes adjusted to the dark, but soon his silhouette began to form, and finally, his features began to form outlines in the darkness.

"Now, that I know your style, Oliver, I won't have to worry about this being some ghost dream."

He smiled through his kiss that he planted firmly on my lips. This time, when he let go of my wrists, he allowed me to run my hands through his hair as he tenderly caressed my face and our lips met. There was nothing more perfect than him being here with me now.

His kisses were soft and tender, but soon we both grew desperate for each others touch, and they became harder, more passionate. We both wanted it to last forever, but night enclosed around us with each second, dawning the familiar feeling of sleep upon our eyes.

Oliver rolled off of me, and held me close against him. His fingers played through my hair as I stroke his face, staring into each others eyes.

"How did you get in here?" I whispered. Preforming all those spells to unlock my door would surely make some kind of noise, waking both Percy and I.

"The window. I always keep my broom in my room with me. I just stayed close to the castle wall and guided myself to your window." I closed my eyes and smiled. We would always find ways to be with each other, I suppose. Even if the world couldn't know about us, we would still find a way to make sure our love was as declared to each other as it was silent to everyone else.

His forehead rested against mine, and the sound of his breathing and the feeling of our bodies laying so close together, lulled us both into a relaxing sleep, with dreams of each other playing in our minds.


	23. Different Routes

Helloooo again, everyone. I hope you enjoyed the story so far. Keep reviewing, it's what keeps me writing. Again, I'm sorry the last few chapters took so long to get up. Not to worry though, I'll update regularly for now on. Remember to review, and if you like the story enough, recommend it to your friends! Happy reading:)

Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter and all it's characters do not belong to me, but to J.K. Rowling.

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He woke me the next morning with soft kisses over my eyes. I moaned and rolled over, thinking it was a dream. He persisted, blowing into my hair. Once he planted his lips on the back of my neck, the memory of the previous night flowed back into my mind. My eyes snapped open and I spun around to face him.

He had to leave. He had to get out before Percy walked in. No, wait, the locks would keep him out. What if he undid them? Oliver had to leave. What if Percy heard him? What if Percy already knew? He could have come in during the night and seen. Oliver, get out!

But his easy smile and the way his eyes closed when he leaned forward and gave me a kiss made my mind shut up. Who cared if someone, even Percy, were to walk in? At least he was here. That's all that mattered. I didn't want his arms to leave my body. He was all that mattered.

"Percy might find us soon." He whispered, stroking my hair.

"So? Let him."

"You know we can't do that. Not yet. Give it time, Penelope. It'll all work out. We just have to give it time."

Well, maybe I don't want to wait. Maybe I don't care what Percy feels, or what everyone else would say. Maybe _our_ happiness should be all that mattered.

"I know. It's our secret." MERLIN! Why do I always have to say what people want to hear, and not what I think? Well, at least I got enough nerve to tell Percy what I thought. Or maybe it was just that he finally pushed me over the limit of my patience.

"I have to go." He began to push himself up and I panicked at the absence of his body pressed against mine.

"No!" I instantly threw my arm around the back of his neck just as he hovered above me, pulling him back down. I pressed my lips to his, not allowing him to break away even for a second. He consented to my will, and settled himself over me again, resting his body on mine.

When I finally let him pull away slightly, his lips brushed against mine as he spoke.

"Percy is going to be awake soon. I have to go."

"But I don't want you to go. Please don't." I was whining like a baby. I knew I would lose him in another minute and I was desperate to hold on.

"And how do you expect me to leave once Percy is up? It's better safe then sorry. I'll see you later."

"But who knows the next time we'll be able to kiss?" His forehead rested against mine and his lips touched mine. But that was it. Only a touch.

"Soon."

His weight lifted off of me, and he knelt beside the bed. His arms folded and his head lay on its side on top of them. I turned and propped up on my elbow to face him.

Just as his mouth opened to say something, there was a loud bang on the door and Percy's voice coming from the other side. Our eyes widened and he was instantly up. Before I knew it, he planted a kiss on my forehead and was at the window. Turning, I saw him slowly mount his broom which hovered just below the window outside.

Before I could say anything, the window was shut except for an inch, and he was gone.

"Penelope. Penelope! We are going to be late. I know you're awake. Stop being so bloody infantile and open the door now."

I groaned to myself and buried my face into the pillow. Leaning over the side of the bed, I groped around for my wand until the tips of my fingers brushed against it. Gripping it finally, I muttered the spell into the pillow, unlocking the door.

"Penelope, come on now. You've overslept for 15 minutes. This is a waste of time, now open the door!" He was on the other side yelling and jiggling the handle.

Rolling my eyes and shaking my head, I turned away from the door and muttered to myself. "Why don't you try pushing the door, you bloke."

When he finally acquired some common sense, he put all his weight onto the door, falling into the room. If he hadn't been holding the door knob, he would have fallen flat on his face.

I looked at him clinging to the door knob, dangling just above the ground, and I just couldn't help myself but laugh at him. But it turned into an uncontrollable laugh that had me gripping my stomach and tears started to stream. I supposed it was just all the dumb things he's done since we've been together that all came to mind at that time, and I just couldn't hold it in anymore.

Percy, of course, did not take it very lightly. He was up and boiling while I couldn't stop laughing. The redder he got, the harder I laughed. This really didn't lighten the situation at all.

"It certainly is not funny, Penelope." He muttered through gritted teeth.

"I- I can't- I can't help it! Hahahaha! You're just so damn ridiculous sometimes." It started to slow down, but I was still having trouble breathing. I watched him fume while I panted for breath.

He looked around the room, with his usual inspecting eye, to be sure everything was in order. His head snapped in the direction of the window, which had a cool breeze blowing threw the small opening. As he walked over to it, I saw there was a mist on it. Oliver had drawn a heart in it, which didn't appear to be disappearing any time soon, as Percy grew nearer and nearer.

I held my breath as he finally reached it.

"Honestly, you need to be more responsible. You'll catch your death if you leave your window open all night." He closed the window and turned, hands on his hips in a scolding manner. I let out my breath and flopped down onto the bed. He was honestly so dense. "Now, I hope a good nights rest has given you some sense. You obviously said some things last night that were in the heat of the moment. Now, I forgive you, but let's just both forget it all. Okay?"

I was completely speechless out of pure amazement. He was really that self-centered. Before I could say anything in protest, he was a foot away, already puckered up and ready to kiss.

"No!" I pushed him back and he stumbled, completely bewildered.

"What?" He managed after a minute of him remaining puckered up, wondering what was going on.

"I'm not sorry for what I said. Percy, when are you going to understand? How many times do I have to tell you? We are over!" Oh god, we had to go into this again. My throat is going to be sore for a month.

"You can't be serious. You're going to throw away everything we had after all this time together? We're graduating Hogwarts this year, and you really want to leave it with no one to be with? That is completely unstable!"

"That makes no sense at all, Percy Weasley! And if that's the only reason you want to stay together, then we have no business going out anyway. We are finished. No matter what you say. And how do you know we'll be alone when we leave? We are _obviously_ not the right people for each other, so why waste our time?" Well, at least _I_ wouldn't be alone. I wasn't so sure about him. After all, who would possibly be able to stand him?

"That's not the only reason I want to stay together. I love you." He looked at me like I was the one who was crazy.

"Oh God! You throw the word 'Love' around like it has no difference from any other word. You don't know what love is!"

"Of course I know what love is. I've loved you, haven't I?"

"Percy, we were never in love. Not really. Listen to me now. It's over."

"That's not very responsible, Penelope."

"Oh! Damn your responsibility! I'm following a new type of responsibility now! To myself!" With that, I stormed out of the room and down the hall, into the bathroom, slamming the door behind me.

I turned the water on, adding my special scent and climbed in. I could have really used a relaxing bath, but I just didn't have the time right now. I really did need to get to the Great Hall.

Finishing up, I made my way back to my room. Thankfully, Percy had left. Throwing on my robes, without really caring if the were wrinkled or not, I left my room and was soon out of the common room, not stopping to see if Percy had left or not.

Looking at my watch, I had 15 minutes to spare, so I decided to take the long way downstairs. I enjoyed looking at the tapestries and old paintings. Over the years, they became as familiar as my own home. Since I spent most of my life at Hogwarts anyway, it really was more of a home to me anyway. I was going to miss it. I knew I needed to take in as much as I could this year. I had to remember it all. If only I could avoid Percy as much as possible, this year would be 10 times better.

I stopped and looked down the hallway I had to take. I had taken it so many times before. Maybe this time, it was better to take a new way. A way I had never been down before. After all, trying new things seemed to be my thing lately.

So instead of taking the left, in which I knew exactly what it held at the end, I took the right, a corridor which was completely a mystery to me. It wasn't much different from any other corridor. The paintings were there. Tapestries. Messes on the wall from Peeves that Filch had yet to clean. It wasn't any more dimly lit than the other halls. There were no noises that were out of the ordinary. But still, it was an adventure for me. I almost felt like a first year again, walking the halls for the first time.

I stopped to study one particular painting. It showed what seemed to be a Hogwarts hallway, packed with students. For some reason, I'm not sure what, it seemed that two students stuck out the most. A boy and a girl. Perhaps it was that they were painted brighter, or the position they were in. They weren't anywhere near each other, but they seemed to radiate towards each other. This picture was different than the rest. No one was moving. They were all stationary. But still, the two figures seemed to be connected. I tried to look for a signature, but before I could find one, I was suddenly jerked backwards.

Before I could scream a hand was over my mouth. The last thing I saw was the painting against the opposite wall as a tapestry fell over an opening in the wall which I was pulled into. My eyes squeezed shut as I was pushed against a wall and someone's body pushed up against mine, pinning me in a standing position.

I whimpered as his hand stayed over my mouth and his finger traced my jaw line. He blew on my face as he softly shushed me. My eyes still pursed shut, I refused to look at my captor. I didn't know what he was going to do with me, but as long as I didn't look at him, I would have that much less knowledge of what he was capable of.

Why did I have to take a new way? I could have been in the Great Hall by now, sitting, waiting for my meal. I could have been safe. Instead, I was in some dark hole in the wall, being held by God knows who, waiting to be violated in some way.

I would do anything to be out of here. I would even be back in my room fighting with Percy. Surely he couldn't get away with this, could he? In Hogwarts? Wasn't there something here to protect students from this kind of harm? What would Oliver think? Would I even be able to tell him? If I looked now, I would be able to name my assaulter, be able to have him punished. But if I looked, I would have to know forever the face of the one who did it. I didn't know if I could live with that.

If only someone would come along. Even if they did, I couldn't scream. I couldn't do anything. My wand was out of reach, and he was so heavy against me I couldn't move.

Soon, I was overwhelmed and tears started to stream down my face. I didn't sob though. I was completely still. Only the tears showed my distress.

He kissed the drops off my cheeks. I didn't even realize it when he did it. I felt so numb from fear. I only noticed the tears were gone when he finally uncovered my mouth and pressed his lips to mine. Tasting the saltiness, I finally realized what he had done.

All I could think about was Oliver. If only he were here now. This caused more tears to fall, and he only kissed them away again.

"Open your eyes." He crooned in a soft and low voice. I didn't recognize it. It was too low for me to really hear. He didn't want anyone else hearing him either. "Come on now, open your eyes." I didn't want to open my eyes. I didn't want to look into his face and realize exactly what he would do to me.

He kissed away more of my tears, gently, as if he barely was touching my face.

"Come on, just open your eyes."


	24. Fighting Failures

Hi everyone. SOO sorry this took so long. My internet has been down. But don't worry, I didn't abandon you. I never would. Enjoy the chapter and remember to review!

Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter and all it's characters do not belong to me, but to J.K. Rowling.

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"No." There was no bloody way in hell that I would open my eyes and look at him.

"Why not?" He made it sound like it was game. It made my stomach churn at how relaxed and amused he sounded.

"Why the hell do you think?"

"I truly have no idea."

At that I completely lost it. Was he really that sick and twisted that he would talk to me so calmly?

"Get the bloody hell off of me, now!" I screamed at the top of my lungs as if it was the last thing I would ever yell. "NOW!"

With that, almost instantly, he was off me. I breathed heavily, awaiting his next move. But nothing happened. He stayed off me. I almost thought he had left.

I opened my eye the slightest bit, only enough to make out a silhouette, to see if he was still there. I was horrified even more once I actually made out his figure, pressed against the wall opposite me. I instantly knew who it was. There was no mistaking it. No other person in the school had that body.

My eyes snapped open completely in my horror. I couldn't even move. All the blood in my body rushed to my face.

I stared into his terrified face, as he stared into mine. Both of our shock showed in our eyes.

"What..." He began, but before he could finish I was on him.

"Oliver!"

"What is wrong with you?" He was completely bewildered. Why was I so stupid? Of course it was Oliver. I am such an idiot.

"I thought you were somebody else. I didn't realize...Oh, I'm so dumb."

"Well of course you are. Do you think I would let anything happen to you? And I told you we would be together soon. I couldn't wait any longer than you could. Why did you come this way? Aren't you going to breakfast?" My head rested against his shoulder as he held me. My heart slowed down, and my breathing became normal. Still, I was too shaken up to do anything but stand in his arms.

"I wanted to try something new today. How did you find me?"

"I know a couple of Gryffindors that...well, let's just say they know how to track people inside of Hogwarts. And what, I'm not new enough for you?"

"Of course not. You're old news by now."

"Gee, thanks. Listen, I thought we would have some time, but since you threw a fit we have to get down to the Great Hall. You can't be too late or it'll look suspicious." He let go and I stepped back, still too embarrassed to look him in the eye.

"Alright. Sorry..." I averted my eyes, looking everywhere but at him.

He wouldn't have any of that though. Cupping my chin in between his thumb and forefinger, he turned my head to look into his eyes.

"Hey, don't worry about it. You Ravenclaws, always so melodramatic." He smiled and gave me a quick kiss on the lips. "Go back the way you came. I'll go through this passage. You'll get there a couple of minutes before me. I'll see you soon." With that he let go, and started to run down the tunnel. But before he got more than 5 paces, he suddenly stopped and turned back. "I love you." Then, with another quick peck on the cheek he was off, his robes billowing behind him.

I would have stood there all morning, staring after him dumbfounded, but I realized I would disappoint him if I got there after he did. I already made enough of a fool of myself for one day. However, knowing me, there will most likely be many more instances of humiliation during the day.

Carefully peeking around the tapestry, I made my way back into the hallway. The corridor was completely deserted. I had never been in a Hogwarts hallway during normal hours that had been empty. It was almost eerie, hearing my own robes brush against the carpeting while there was daylight shining through the tall stained glass windows. I usually associated that sound with the glow of torches along the walls and stars glistening at me as I walked.

About to head down to the Great Hall to make sure I beat Oliver, I remembered the painting. I desperately wanted to examine it more closely. I knew I couldn't though. I would be late. But maybe...Yes, just one quick look wouldn't hurt.

My eyes swept over the picture, quickly taking in as many details as I could. However, I couldn't find the two students I had seen before. After a second, I did discover the girl, but she seemed to have dimmed. The boy was nowhere to be found. I felt like I was looking at a page in a 'Where's Waldo?' book my aunt used to buy me when I was younger. I tried to remember where he had been, but I couldn't.

There was no more time for me to investigate though. I had to get to the hall before Oliver. I only had 3 minutes before students would start arriving. I didn't need any more lip from Percy.

Racing down the stairs and through the corridors, I took every shortcut I knew. Just before I got to the main entrance hallway, I stopped to lean against a wall and catch my breath. Huffing and puffing, I tried to regain my composure when I saw Percy descending the front staircase. His royal posture and almighty demeanor must have lit a fire in me, because I took one last big breath and made my way to the Great Hall doors.

My posture was just like- if not better- than his. I looked at him in a surveying way, as if I were evaluating him. I gave the impression that he failed.

"Later than usual then, Percy?" I asked in a mocking way as if I were his teacher.

"Not quite yet." He answered in a stiff manner, not lowering his nose a bit to talk to me.

"Well, I suppose that you can't blame your tardiness on me this time, considering the fact that I left without you this morning." Keep your voice completely business Penelope, completely business.

"Yes, I certainly _can_. It was because I had to look for you that I am arriving later than I would prefer. Why are you so irresponsible sometimes?" He finally lowered his head and looked at me when he spoke, growing angry.

Just as we entered the hall, we spun on each other.

"It's not me that has a problem with irresponsibility Percy. Perhaps you should re-check the way you treat people, and where your loyalties should lay. Then you'll see who needs more responsibility." I also became angry, glaring at him straightly now.

Just as his face began to really boil, Oliver entered, standing between us and looking at us both. Before he could notice Percy's redness, he cheerily asked, "Hello you two. Good morning. How are things?"

"HMPH!" Was all Percy could get out of his pursed lips, steam rising from his ears as his glare focused intently on me.

"Just leave me alone and focus on your own life!" I yelled at him.

"Fine then. Now I'll be able to have my own life _back_! I won't have _you_ tying me down and holding me back!" He spat.

"Good! I wouldn't want to hold Mr. Prodigy back. However, I think a prodigy would at least be able to figure out how to _KISS PROPERLY!_" Oliver's eyes grew bigger at every word until they were practically bulging out of his head.

Percy's jaw just hung open at my last remark, his eyes almost as big as Oliver's, but still holding their glare in his astonishment. Then his mouth snapped shut, his eyes and nostrils flared, and he turned on his heel, marching over to the Gryffindor table. At that same moment, I turned on my heel and made my way to the Ravenclaw table.

Oliver was left there, glued to the spot, whipping his head back and forth to stare at both of us. Eventually, he had to follow Percy to his own table, but he looked over his shoulder to watch me the entire time. When he sat, he sat facing me, his head cocked slightly to one side, just trying to figure out what he had just witnessed. I couldn't stand to look at him in shame. The last thing I wanted was to have a fight with Percy break out in front of him. For now on, I would go to all costs to avoid Percy. No matter what he was doing, I wouldn't provoke him.

Not having much of an appetite, I moved my food over my plate, not really touching any of it. Every time I would glance at the Gryffindor table, I would see Percy pointing and moving his hands about madly, turning red and talking angrily. Oliver just sat and watched him, his eyes worried and his frown deep.

No matter what I did, I always seemed to disappoint or worry Oliver. I had to make it up to him. I just didn't know what I could do.

Deciding to leave breakfast early, I made my way to my common room. I couldn't stand to look up and see Percy anymore. I knew I would have some alone time, because Percy would stay until breakfast was completely finished being served, which was at least another hour.

Flopping down on the couch, I threw my arm over my face, letting my robe drape my eyes in darkness. Would this nightmare with Percy ever be over? How could I have possibly let it go on this long? Did I really never see him for what he was?

I guess it took someone as good as Oliver to show me how bad Percy was.

Well, I suppose it would be unfair to say that Percy was really _bad_. I mean, he treated me good. At times, I did almost feel that we loved each other. But it just wasn't right. Something was always there that just made it feel unsteady. He didn't make me feel that way that I feel whenever I'm with Oliver.

At the slightest touch Oliver could make me feel warm and like he was all I needed to live. He was all I needed. But how could I show him that? I didn't have any real talents. I couldn't draw him a moving picture. I couldn't bring him to any secret places. All I had were the spells that I knew and him. That's all I had. Or maybe...

I sat straight up on the couch, my mind racing.

Maybe that was more than enough.

I looked up to where my bedroom was. Closing my eyes quickly and visualizing what I wanted, I quickly jumped up from the couch and raced upstairs.

There was a lot of preparation if I wanted it done by tonight.


	25. Purple

Hello again. This chapter is pretty easy going, since I've been getting some negatives on the cliff-hangers. Enjoy! And remember to review!

Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter and all it's characters do not belong to me, but to J.K. Rowling.

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That night I sat on the edge of my bed, just praying that Oliver would come that night. Luckily, I was able to avoid Percy all day. I sat away from him and took different, yet still safe, routes to class. All day, the question of whether I should tell Oliver to come tonight played in my mind. I wanted to make sure he would, but I also wanted it to be a surprise.

I was almost sure he would show up. We weren't able to be alone all day, since people were constantly around us whenever Percy wasn't. Surely he would be craving my touch as much as I was craving his.

But what if he didn't show? What if he got tired, or someone kept him busy? Even worse, what if a dementor or a teacher saw him outside? No, there would be no teachers walking the grounds, and the dementors wouldn't come _that_ close to the school. Dumbledore would never allow it. But what _if_...

"Oh shut up!" To focus my mind on something else, I walked over to the tall mirror in the corner of the bedroom. Examining my clothes to the smallest detail, I made sure I absolutely liked what I saw. I wanted to look perfect tonight. I wore a ruby red button down shirt, in honor of Gryffindor. I thought that Oliver would like that. It was originally a short sleeved shirt with a collar, but with a simple spell I got rid of the sleeves and collar, and made it low cut in front. Taking it in on the sides, it fit my body to look as if I were wearing a corset.

I straightened out my black jeans and leaned in closer to check my makeup. I instantly didn't like what I saw. In all my frowning, my eyeliner had smudged and my lipstick was almost worn off.

"Oh, bloody hell." I didn't look like myself. Oliver wouldn't like this. I didn't even like it.

Instead of reaching for a tissue, I took my wand and completely got rid of all the makeup. It would just get messy anyway. If he liked me when I didn't wear anything on my face, then he would still like me without anything.

Taking a deep breath, I turned to check the room one last time. Dimming the lights a little more with my wand, I nodded. Everything was perfect. I had locked my door again with every spell I knew, warning Percy that if he walked in I would jinx him. I even sound-proofed the room as well, just to be sure.

I had worked all morning, tweeking spells and testing things out. I knew he would love it. He just had to.

Opening the window as far as it went and peering out, I went back to my bed. I sat there, simply waiting for his arrival.

Finally, I heard a soft thud at the window as his hand grasped the sill. I rushed over and helped him climb inside. My insides were bubbling with excitement. I knew he wouldn't let me down.

Reaching for behind his head, I pulled him down to me and gave him a long kiss before he could say anything. Without letting our lips part, I led him to the center of the room. Breaking away and backing up, he looked at me questioningly, a small amused smile playing at his lips.

Backing away, I slid onto my bed till I was in the middle. Sitting cross-legged with my arms resting on my knees and holding my head up, I watched him and smiled.

"Penelope, what?" He laughed softly, not sure what to do.

"Shh..." I whispered softly. "Just wait."

My eyes stared into the darkness in awe, waiting. I couldn't wait to see his reaction. His head tilted to the side, watching me curiously.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a mist start to rise from the floor. Keeping my eyes on Oliver, his head snapped in the direction of the mist. His eyes narrowed but he didn't move.

The mist separated into two different colors. At about knee height, they wrapped around each other, blue and red. After they finished winding together, it was still for a moment, then burst into a small firework of deep purple. Oliver turned his body to face the mist, watching it silently.

As the mist began to take shape, my gaze on Oliver became more intense. I watched his every move, savoring his reactions. The mist started to take an oval form, with four legs sprouting from the bottom. Soon, a head emerged, taking the shape of a sunburst. A long tail unwound from the back, flipping itself through the air. Oliver's eyes grew in amazement as he stared into the face of a full grown lion.

They seemed to examine each other, Oliver remaining still, while the Lion paced back and forth at its side of the room. Finally, the Lion stopped, directly in Oliver's path. They stared into each other's eyes, and the Lion bowed down to Oliver. Then, without warning, the Lion threw his head up into the air and let out a mighty roar. Shaking it's mane, silver and gold sparks flew everywhere, surrounding it.

Breaking into a run, it charged towards Oliver. Stunned, he had no time to move. Only feet away, the Lion leapt into the air, it's paws outstretched towards him. Oliver's mouth slightly gaped open, just as the Lion's form dissipated and turned into a Raven. It circled him once, showering him with the silver and gold sparks.

It hovered at Oliver's face, staring him in the eye, flapping its wings mightily. Then without warning, it flew straight at Oliver's chest, flying into him. He sucked in his breath and his eyes widened. His head was thrown back and his arms raised above his sides. He held his breath for a moment, then finally, he slowly let it out, the same purple mist exhaling in a small steady stream.

After a second of standing in shock, he turned to me, his eyes bewildered. A huge grin broke out on his face and he charged over to me, knocking me over on my back and laying on top of me.

"How was it?" I laughed and twirled his hair around my finger.

"Amazing! What was that? How did you do it?" His eyes were aglow, which made my heart swell.

"It's amazing, the things you can learn in a place like Hogwarts." He laughed and pressed his lips to mine. Rolling over, he layed next to me, one arm cradling me against him and the other on his chest. I turned on my side and rested my head against him, snuggling in close.

"Tell me about your life. I want to know everything. I realized that while I was flying over here, you know? I hardly know anything about you, except that you're amazing in every possible way."

Tell him about myself? What was there to know? Nothing. I probably couldn't even describe me to myself. I was nothing before I met Oliver. I would never have broken any rules, or taken any chances, or been as happy as I was at that minute.

"What do you want to know?" I asked slowly, pondering what I could possibly tell him.

"Everything! Who you grew up with, where you grew up, where you've been, where you want to go, anything and everything. Loves, complaints, anything you want to tell me. And don't hold back, you can tell me anything." He chuckled and looked towards my ceiling, waiting for me to start my autobiography.

"Well, to start off, the thing that bugs me the most in the world, even above Percy, are my parents. They hold me up like a trophy. They love Percy, not because how he treated me or how I felt about him, but because of his grades. He's the top in our year and that made him the best. It was always the best for their daughter. Best grades, best regards, best subjects. Prefect, Head Girl, and the only reason they won't be disappointed for my lack of valedictorian is because I was dating him. I'm still not quite sure how I'm going to break it to them." I wasn't really sure how Oliver would take that. I didn't want him to think my parents would hate him, but in their eyes he was definitely more than a step down from Percy.

To my surprise, all he said was, "Your parents love you."

"Yeah, sure, I know they _love_ me. They have to. I'm their only daughter. But still, I don't think they would like me as much if I didn't get the grades I did."

"No, I don't mean it like that. I mean, they really do love you. For you. I've seen the way they look at you at school functions and at parties. They're just proud of you, that's all. So they talk about your achievements, so what? At least they take the time to notice and really care. Trust me, I know how a parent looks when they really love someone. My parents were on the rocks for a while. They finally got divorced this summer."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"No, don't be. They're better for it now. They were so wrapped up in their own problems, I thought that they didn't have time for me anymore. I thought that I wasn't important to them. It killed me. That's why I always pretended to be so wrapped in Quidditch all the time. I figured I need to put all of my focus somewhere else. But finally, on the day my Dad was leaving, they both broke down and told me how much they loved me and how proud they were and all that. I finally realized that no matter what, a parent still loves you. Even if you don't see it."

We were silent for a minute, both thinking about our families. I slid in closer next to him and held him tighter.

"Keep going though. I want to know more." He rubbed my arm as I continued.

"Well, my best friend has always been my aunt. She's married in on my Dad's side. She's always been really cool with the whole magic world, but she still firmly believes that all girls should experience certain things from her world. She's the one that bought me the Cons and where I learn all the muggle things from. I tell her about a bunch of magic too. She's always asking me to make her potions or put spells on her, but I always insist they won't work since she's a muggle. She takes me to movies, and concerts, and buys me all sorts of muggle things that I love." I decided not to tell him about how she begs me repeatedly to put a spell on her for the witch version of birth control.

"That sounds awesome, to have someone like that. I got interested in muggle things on my own. I walked by a shop window one day and saw the Converse, and instantly knew that I wanted them."

The rest of the night we talked about how we grew up, where and with who. Past crushes and favorite celebrities. We went from favorite food to our deepest secrets that we had never shared before.

As the stars glistened through my wide open window, I yet again fell asleep in his arms


	26. Let Love Die

I hope everybody enjoys this chapter. Please review when you're done. Happy Reading!

Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter and all it's characters do not belong to me, but to J.K. Rowling.

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I woke up to a blunt banging on my door. Groaning and rolling over, I felt around for Oliver, patting the bed beside me. Slowly my eyes opened to realize he wasn't there. Quickly looking towards the window, I nearly fell off the bed.

It was closed but for an inch, and another heart was drawn on the glass in the fog. He must have just left. I would have smiled at the memory of last night, but the insistent banging on the door only aggravated me.

After burying my face in the pillow, I finally got up and trudged over to the door.

"Well, well, well. I wonder who _that_ could be?" Opening the door, Percy was standing there, his hand raised about to knock again and his glasses sliding down the bridge of his nose. "What a surprise. It happens to be the eldest brother of the Weasley's still at Hogwarts. And how are you this morning, Mr. Weasley?" Walking past him I made my way to the bathroom.

"I do not appreciate your mockery, Penelope. Hurry or we'll be late." Fixing his glasses and his robes he insisted I walk even faster down the hallway, not noticing that I was already practically running to get away from him. "Why can't you just shower at night and use a freshening up spell in the morning? It's more sensible if you're going to insist on always waking up so late."

"I do not wake up late. You simply wake up earlier than is even considered being close to necessary. If my preference to sleep is such an inconvenience to you, then why don't you just leave without me? Then you can get down there whenever you want!" I spun on him finally. Here we go again.

"That is because it looks bad to arrive without you!"

"But we're not together anymore!" He didn't need to wait for me. It was probably a common fact by now that we were separated.

"Well we should be!" I was about to shout a reply to that, but I caught myself and my jaw just hung open. He actually still wanted to be with me even after all the things I said to him?

"Percy, we don't belong together," was all I could manage to get out, finally speaking at a normal level.

"If I was good enough for you two weeks ago, what's so different about me now?" He whispered and his head was lowered. "I still love you. I still want you. What's changed? Or what hasn't? I can change. For you, I would do anything." He got down on one knee and took my hands. All I could do was stare down at him in horror.

"Please, Percy. Don't do this. There's nothing you can do. We're just not right for each other. Trust me, there is someone else out there who you belong with. It's not me." Oh god Percy, stop. Get up! Please don't do this to me now.

"No. It's you. It's only you. It will always be you! I would do anything to keep you. I'd die for you; I'd _kill_ for you! Please give me another chance. I need you to survive. We're exactly the same. You're the only one I can possibly ever be compatible with. Please, I love you."

"No Percy, no." I shook my hands away from him and backed up into the bathroom. "It's not me you want. It's my grade point average!" And with that I slammed the door shut, leaning against it and sliding down to the cold tile. I heard him rush to the door and start banging on it, screaming my name.

"Please, Penelope! That's not it! You complete me! You're the only one for me! PLEASE! I NEED YOU!" He continued shouting and banging as I buried my face in my hands.

"What am I going to do?" I whispered to myself.

By the time I got out of the bathroom, the banging had stopped. As far as I could tell from peeking out the door, he had already left. To my dismay, however, he was sitting against the wall near my door.

He was completely disheveled. His eyes were closed and he looked completely beaten. Glasses in his hand, he breathed slowly and didn't seem to notice me until my shadow blocked the light on his face.

Startled, he looked up and stumbled to his feet, shoving the glasses back onto his face.

"Penelope, please listen to me. You have to listen. I love you. I will always love you. I'm nothing without you. Believe me. I will change anything you want. Please, give me another chance." His pleading broke my heart. I didn't think for one moment that Percy would break like this and beg for me back.

"No, Percy, you have to listen." I spoke soft and gently. It was already hurting me to see him like this. "We don't belong together. You have to move on. I'm not the one for you. What we had, wasn't real love. You may think it was, but it wasn't. Whatever it was we had didn't last, and there's no point in trying to get it back. I'm not even sure we ever had anything. Percy, please, understand. There's no more chances." I walked into my room and tried to shut the door, but this time his hand smacked against it and held it open.

Shocked, I looked into his face and was startled to see it was bright red. His eyes were on fire and his lips snarled.

"There's someone else isn't there? Tell me who it is. I'll fight him, Penelope. I'll fight for you. I'll prove to you that I love you more than anyone _ever_ will. He'll die before he has you." My eyes widened and my jaw dropped. I just stared into his furious eyes trying to figure out what to say.

Of course I couldn't tell him it was Oliver. His best friend, the only person he could talk to about it. It would break him even more. And to even tell him that there was anyone at all was simply atrocious.

"Percy, there's no one. And who else could there be anyway? I'm with you all day, and when I'm not...well, I don't even know any other guys well. There's no one. It's too soon anyway. I couldn't." I sputtered a few lies, and hoped he fell for them. It would only help him in the long run. I was absolutely positive that he couldn't find out until he was completely over me now. There was no way I could have predicted he would act like this.

"I hope that there isn't. For all of our sakes." With that he let go of the door and backed away. I closed it and stood there just staring into the wood. Never had I before been so terrified of Percy.

The very first thing I did was rush right over to the window and erase Oliver's heart. If Percy saw it, who knew what he would do. He certainly knew enough spells and was skilled enough to cause someone serious harm.

Peeking out of my door again, I didn't see Percy. His door was closed tight, so I hurried out and rushed down the stairs, taking two at a time. Grabbing my bag off a chair, I made my way to the door.

"Wait." Came a calm voice from behind me. I turned slowly to see Percy place a book perfectly straight on the side table. "Don't forget me now."

"I figured you would have left by now. You'll be a few minutes later than the time you usually arrive." He came up next to me and we exited the portrait. We walked side by side, slowly and taking our time.

"Well, there are more important things."

Could it really be possible that Percy could change? Even if he did, I still wouldn't want him. Oliver was just too important to me. But even if Percy did get over me, would it still be too much for him to know about Oliver and I? Even if he didn't have anymore feelings towards me, his best friend taking over something that he once cared so much for might hurt him beyond any consoling extent. Would this situation ever be easy?

Oliver was again the only one sitting in the Great Hall. He rested his head on his fist and played with his forked in his other hand. He didn't seem to notice us and I stared sadly at him, wanting to be able to rush over and give him a kiss good morning.

I turned to the left toward the Ravenclaw table, but my arm pulled back and I stopped. Percy had grabbed me and pulled me towards him, lowering his face to mine. I felt his hot breath as his spoke low and steady.

"We will act civil towards each other Penelope. No more outbursts. I can understand if you're angry right now, but please, try to think about it. I still love you. And you often told me that you loved me back. Love can't die in a day and I've never known you to be a liar. You're heart is too good to lie to me." That made my teeth bar together. My heart was too good...hah! If only that could be a true statement. It made me scream inside at how I was letting him down and even myself.

Just then, his face leaned forward and his lips puckered. Quickly I snapped my head back and tried to pull away. He still held a firm grip on me. I had never known him to be so strong.

"Something that isn't real love, Percy, can die in an instant." With that he let go and watched me as I walked to my table, my body standing tall but my eyes lowered.

By the time I sat, people started to file in, but Percy still stood in the spot that I had left him, his face emotionless. I had to divert my eyes from his rigid body. Drifting away, I caught Oliver's stare. He had seen the entire thing.

His eyes looked sad and troubled, looking at me for an answer. The only way I could respond was with eyes just as sad, and a small shake of my head. Then I lowered them to stare at my plate. I could have sat like that for the rest of the day if I hadn't felt two slaps on my back.

Looking up, I saw a mess of fire red hair. Not only one, but two.

"Oi, Penelope. We heard about Percy. We would say sorry, but, heh, you know you're probably better off without the prat." The twins sat down on either side of me, leaning back against the table so I could look into their identical faces.

"Um, thanks George." After spending countless hours with the Weasleys, I had somehow managed the ability to tell them apart.

"Yeah, that prick will probably be alone forever. We were wondering when you were finally gonna drop him. Broke our hearts to see you two together, it did. The only reason we didn't try to help you sooner was 'cause it would break our mum's heart to see Percy alone. But, now he got what he deserved. You're alright though, we're sure?"

"Er, yes Fred, quite alright I suppose." Glancing at Percy again, he had finally taken his seat next to Oliver. From what I could tell, they were both silent.

"Not having second thoughts, I hope."

"No, no. Nothing like that. It's just that, well, Percy isn't taking it very well." I didn't exactly want to spill out the situation to his brothers, but I knew that the twins would be on my side more than his anyway.

"Well, never hesitate to ask us for help. We know how to deal with the welp." They exchanged sly smiles, telling me that they were just dying for the chance to pull a prank on him.

"So what'll it be this time boys? And how long has it been planned?" I needed a laugh.

"It's a surprise, but weeks."

"Well, you should probably wait a while. He's really not too well right now."

"Hah, has he completely snapped? This is gonna be great. We love to see him explode."

Yeah well, it would be great if he wasn't threatening murder.

"Listen, do you think you can do me a favor?"

"Anything, Love. You know we can't say no to you. Wish you were our sister, instead of that prat."

"Great. I'm gonna need some help...calming Percy down. No, no, nothing like that. I don't want you slipping him any of your prank supplies. Just tell Oliver to meet me in the Owlry when he finishes breakfast? Please?"

"Will do, Sweets. We'll see you around. And remember, never hesitate. We're only a common room away." They got up and made their way back to their table. Fred grabbed Percy by the shoulders and leaned to his left to talk to him. Percy simply nodded and listened as Fred continued. George, meanwhile, bent down to Oliver's right and whispered to him. He nodded as well and glanced over at me. George motioned to Fred, who finally let go of Percy and continued down the table to find a seat. As Fred passed him, George looked over at me and winked. It was all set.

Having no appetite from this morning's events, I grabbed my bag and left the Hall. Making my way up the staircase, I rushed to the Owlry to wait for Oliver.


	27. While Waiting

I'm sorry this chapter took so long. I've been so busy now that school has started again. I'll try to make the next one sooner. Happy Reading. Hope you like it. Remember to review it when you're done!

Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter and all it's characters do not belong to me, but to J.K. Rowling.

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He didn't arrive for a while. I knew he wouldn't. There was no way he could leave right after me. It would look too suspicious. Percy was already suspecting something. Although I was sure it had nothing to do with Oliver, I didn't want to give him any clues.

So patiently, I sat on an old crate and waited. Percy's behavior not only frightened me, but it broke my heart. I thought that Percy would never let his pride break. He would have kept going. I even expected constant fights. But I never, not for a second, thought he would snap like this.

Letting out a heavy sigh, I let my head fall into my hands and closed my eyes. There was nothing else I could do.

"It's never quite so bad." A juvenile voice came from my side and I snapped up to look around. Standing across the room, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, stood a boy I had seen before. What was his name? A Slytherin. _Why, thank you, Mrs. Wood._ Malfoy!

"Yeah? What do you know about it?" Just leave me alone.

"I was here that night. Remember? I can put the pieces together. And I see the three of you around. And how he's been fuming lately. I'm not blind." His eyes were piercing. I kept glancing at him, but his gaze wouldn't shift. "Don't worry. I don't bite... in daylight."

"What are you doing here?" Somehow this boy gave me chills and calmed me at the same time. The way he never flinched and no matter how much I spat my words, he didn't seem to care. Also, he knew my secret. And he didn't seem to be judging it.

"Owling my Father another letter. But, that's not the point. Right now, it seems you're the one who needs to be questioned."

"I don't need to tell you anything."

"No, but you need to say it for yourself." Without taking his eyes off me, he moved to his side and sat on another crate. Leaning against the wall behind him, he crossed his arms again and stretched his legs.

"Comfortable?"

"Quite."

"What do you care? So you can gossip with your other Slytherins? You've been kind enough not to say anything so far, I'm assuming, but I don't know or care what you're playing at. Gathering your information to have the whole story, maybe. I'm not going to give it to you." Still, he didn't falter. His voice was steady and his gaze stayed.

"I'm just trying to pass the time. And I do so hate to see my school's Head Girl upset. Listen, I give you my word as a Slytherin, take it or not, that I will not repeat anything that is said here today. Nor will I tell anyone about you and Wood. Well, at least until it comes into the open. Then, as peer pressure will so have it, I'll be forced to talk about it, but never will our conversation now come into play. Honest." He held up his right hand and smiled. Not a smirk or a sly grin, but a kinda smile. I never knew a Slytherin was capable of such.

"But why?"

"I can tell when people need to talk. I would want the same done for me. Seeing as how I could never tell people about my problems, I've become even more...shall we say...sensitive to other people when they have to keep secrets. I'm only trying to help. I guarantee you won't find anyone else in this damn place who will listen and not judge you." I looked into his eyes. They didn't seem to be hiding anything, or look malicious. So, why not? I was at my wits end and I truly did need to spill it out. At the moment, I didn't even care if he ran downstairs and screamed it to everyone. I just had to get it out of me. So I told him. Without even knowing this boy's first name, I told him about Oliver, and Percy, and how scared and confused I was.

"Hm...sounds classic." Was all he said after I was finished.

"How so?" Was he crazy? Or just that insincere?

"God woman, don't you read?"

"If this was so classic, I would certainly be able to relate it to some piece of literature." Who was he to say such things?

"Well, maybe you're just not reading the right literature. Listen, it all seems too incredibly complicated now, but it'll work itself out. It always does. The Weasel is too proud to break for some girl for long, no offense, and Wood is too much of a sissy to let the situation escalate. Again, no offense."

"I would say the same, about Percy at least, but I've never seen him like this before. Something's happened to him. The look in his eyes... And besides, what do you truly know? This isn't some page in a book. It's real. This is really happening to me."

"Alright, fine. Let's just say that Weasel finds out. Would it really be so bad? I mean, sure, he'd be completely pissed, but he'd get over it. Everyone has to grow up at some point. And as for Wood, well, personally I would have chosen a better person to have a fling with, but I'm just a simple Slytherin."

"It's not a fling."

"We'll see."

"Yeah well, keep your eyes open."

"Don't avoid my question. What if Weasel found out? Would it be so bad?"

I couldn't decide. Would it? After all, Percy would just have to accept it. Would he really allow it to break him? But if it did, I wouldn't be able to bear that guilt.

"All I know is that if Percy finds out, something drastic is going to happen."

"Listen Clearwater, I'm sorry to break it to you, but dumping your boyfriend for his best mate is already drastic enough. Don't you think?"

"The fact that he doesn't know keeps us safe."

"Hah! Safe from what? Percy Weasley, do anything that requires any guts? Yeah, right. He's a Gryffindor babe, and by default I might add. Just 'cause he was born with red hair, freckles, and into a family with too many kids than they know what to do with. He should have been a Ravenclaw, maybe even a Hufflepuff with how worthless he is. Everyone knows it. You don't have anything to worry about."

"Don't make fun of him." I said quietly, thinking about what he said.

"I'm not the one shagging his best mate."

"That's not your business."

"Fine. But remember, Penelope," at the sound of him using my first name, I looked up, "If you love Oliver, truly love him...then don't let any Irish bum get in your way. Fight for him. And stick with him. Nothing Percy can do can break what you and Wood have. I promise you it won't be easy, but hey, only a year left, right? By going against your heart, the only thing to lose is Oliver. So don't listen to your head. What's responsible isn't always what's right." With that he got up and started towards the door. Shocked, I just stared after him. "I'll keep my eyes open. And I'll keep my eyes on you three. If I see anything, I may just give you the privilege of my advice again. Good luck... and I trust that I have your word that this conversation never comes to anyone else's knowledge? We both have a lot to lose if this gets around."

Just as he was about to leave, Oliver walked through the door. He looked wildly at Malfoy, who just rolled his eyes in return.

"Calm down, Wood. No harm done." He threw one last look at me and shoved past Oliver.

Before he was out of sight, I called, "Malfoy, thank you!"

In response he simply held up his hand and gave it a slight wave, strolling down the stairs with his hands in his pockets.


	28. A New Voice

Again, I am SOOO sorry this took forever and a half. My computer has been broken and now I'm finally able to get back to writing. I really hope to write another chapter soon and keep up this fic. Enjoy this long-awaited chapter and remember to please review! Keep reading, I promise, now it starts to get REALLY interesting. :)

Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter and all it's characters do not belong to me, but to J.K. Rowling.

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"What was that about?" Oliver stood stunned in the doorway.

"Don't worry about it."

"I think that I have every right to worry when I see someone I care about talking to the lowest of Slytherins." It showed in his eyes how disgusted he was. Obviously, Draco had never let on how kind he could be.

"We have bigger problems right now." My chin lowered and I kept my gaze locked on him. I tried to plan out in my head just what I would say to make the situation clear to him. Percy was getting desperate and he had the capability to do true harm.

His shoulders dropped and a soft smiled played his lips. Slowly he started towards me. "Penelope, you always worry so much. You have to relax. Everything will-"

"No! Everything is not alright and everything will not work itself out! You are the only one I can talk to about this and you're not even taking the time to listen. I haven't even told you what it is!" He moved to embrace me but I shrugged him off and moved near the window.

"Ok, fine. I'm sorry. What is it; Percy? Of course it's Percy. Are you feeling guilty? Don't Penelope, I love you. If it's something so pure, it can't be wrong. And this morning, Percy was fine. He said everything was alright. He was working things out. There's nothing to worry about. Soon he'll be completely over it."

"No, Oliver! You're still not listening. Percy is not alright. He's snapped. He's completely lost it. He threatened you this morning!" It was becoming clear that I was not going to be able to follow any type of plan to explain it, as I was reaching hysterics.

"He threatened me? How? Does he know it was me? How could he have found out?" Oliver's brow tightened and he slumped against a crate.

"No, no. Not you exactly. Just you...in general. He suspects I'm with somebody. Oliver, I was actually scared of him. I know that he's capable of doing something terrible, I just never thought he was actually capable of committing the act. Now, I'm not so sure. There was a look in his eyes that I'd never seen before. It wasn't the Percy I knew." When I looked up, I realized he was sitting in the same seat Draco had sat in. His hair fell over his eyes as he bent forward and stared at the ground. I prayed that he would say something soon.

"We have to figure this out. He can't know. Not yet. He would do something drastic." He finally mumbled, still not looking up.

"That's what I've been saying! Oliver, please, tell me you have an idea of what to do. Please." I knelt in front of him and lifted his head gently to look at him. His eyes were troubled and sad as he looked at me.

Slowly he shook his head. "I don't think I do."

Letting out a low moan, I rested my forehead against his. Running my hands through his hair, we sat silently. If he didn't know what to do, we were completely lost.

"Just keep going on as if nothing is wrong. It's the only thing we can do." He sat back and took a deep breath. I had hoped he would have some type of solution that would clear it all up in an instant. I guess magic didn't even go that far.

"I don't know if Percy is going to get over this, Oliver. If he's telling you things are fine, but he's acting completely insane with me, then something in his head just isn't clicking. He's acting as if he's completely lost it. Even if he someday does get to the point where he accepts we've broken up for good, I don't know if he would accept the two of us. How long do we have to lie?" I bit my lip and held my breath to keep back the tears. I had to stay strong. A lover's quarrel was nothing to get completely hysterical over.

Still, when he kept his hair covering those downcast eyes, I couldn't help but let out a wince. That's when his head slowly began to rise. As my tears brimmed the ends of my lashes, I ducked my chin into my chest. If he couldn't be the one who stayed firm, I had to be; And if I couldn't stay firm either, I had to at least pretend to be.

Gently, the tips of his fingers raised my head from under my chin and brought my eyes to his. Although his were completely dry, they were clouded with worry.

"Don't be sad, Penelope. Sure, this is bad. Percy is possibly going crazy. But we can't look at every bad thing. We have to look at each other. Life shouldn't be lived based on all the down sides of love. If you're going to love, do it right. Just look at the good, and be happy about that good. Just like everything else, love can't be perfect. So don't look at the flaws. If you only look at what you have that's great, love can get pretty close to ideal."

"But, Oliver! Maybe what we're doing is wrong! Maybe it's too soon!" Well, like Oliver said, everything can't be perfect. Obviously, that included me. I had nothing left in me but to break down. "If we keep going, and Percy finds out, it would ruin him! He could lose everything he's worked for. And, oh Oliver, we both know how hard he's worked. We can't let him down like this! We're the only two he has other than his family, and we both know that half of them aren't exactly supportive. Why, the twins are on our side. Maybe we're being selfish." I buried my face in my hands and sobbed. His hand floated to my shoulder but I shrugged it off.

"Penelope, darling, tell me you honestly want to go back to him." He whispered into my hair. I could feel him leaning forward trying to comfort me, but at the moment, I just wanted to be allowed to bawl.

"No! Of course not! But maybe we shouldn't rush into our own relationship. It wouldn't be right. It wouldn't be responsible. The right thing to do would be to give him time. Give him time to heal. It's not fair to him to just follow our own hearts and leave him dry."

Just then he jumped up and let out a huge huff. I looked up to see his brow crumpled in anger. He wasn't looking at me but out the window, towards his beloved pitch.

"Well, what about what's fair to us? What about us, Penelope? It's always what's fair and right and kind to other people! When do we get _our_ turn?" He screamed and stormed away towards the window, slamming his palms against the sill. His rage was apparent and I'd never seen him so furious as he screamed and balled his fists. "Can someone please tell me, why the bloody hell, _we_ always have to give up what we want so we won't hurt someone else? Well, maybe they should get hurt! Let them hurt! Why do we have to spare our happiness because someone else is sensitive! Why must I wait two more years for you while Percy gets his time to mourn? He should have mourned in the two years while he was _losing_ you! It's my turn to love you now! It's my turn for you to love me back! I'm sick of Percy getting first consideration! I want _us_ to come first. We _are_ what comes first! None of this would be happening is it wasn't what we wanted. So damn your so-called responsibility and find out what you really want! Because I know what I want, Penelope Clearwater! I want you! And if I'm not important enough for you to know in an instant what you want, well, then maybe I _should_ give you that time you want, and you and Percy can both figure out your lives together!" He spun away from the pitch and stared at me through watery eyes, huffing harshly with his entire body. I just stared back, shocked. Finally, he violently shook his head and within three fierce strides, he was at the door.

Before I could utter a protest, he stopped in the doorframe. He stood there for a few moments, still breathing heavily. Then, in one swift motion he was on his knees in front of me. Taking my hands in his, he began to whisper.

"Tell me, Penelope. Is that what you want? Is that what you truly want? To leave me? To forget everything? Do you not want to be with me? It's hard, Penelope, I know it's hard to sneak around. But I'm willing to do it. I'm willing to do anything to be with you. Does it bother you that much? Do you really want to give in to Percy and leave me?"

At that point, our lips were about to touch. His words hypnotized me and I wanted to stay with him forever. I knew I wanted to be in his arms for as long as we both were breathing. Still, something inside me said to stop. Something told me to run and leave because it would just hurt Percy too much and I couldn't spare his life in that way. It wasn't responsible.

So instead of meeting his lips, I pulled back. Before I could think it over again and process it to death, my fingers were slipping out of his and I was backing away. My legs were straightening and I was rising before his eyes even lifted from their shocked position to look at me. All of a sudden, without my immediate knowledge, I was bolting for the door. Without fully comprehending what was happening, I was rushing down the steps. The only thing I heard were my feet slamming against the stone and the wind as I cut through it in the narrow corridor I was descending.

Before I got halfway to the first landing however, I was able to retake control of my mind. I realized what I was doing and wanted to stop. Whatever had told me to run was overcome by another voice wailing at me to stay. I didn't want to run. I didn't want to leave him. I couldn't! I just couldn't be away from him! I had no idea what had possessed me to run but I wanted it to stop.

It was my head that had forced me into this insane act. My stupid mind with it's stupid brainwashed ideas. Well, now it was time for it to change. It no longer ruled me. It was going to have to listen to my heart, because that was the only thing that was going to lead me now. It was the only part of myself that I was obliged to.

As I reached the first landing, I was finally able to stop. I couldn't run from Oliver. I loved him too much. He was right. It was our turn now. It was going to be all about us.

But would he take me back? Would he ever be able to forgive me now? If he had done this to me I would never be able to look at him again. I already swore that I would never doubt or turn away from him again. Why did I keep doing this? My stupid mind! It had ruined everything.

I pictured Oliver just sitting on the floor where I had left him. How could I ever take back what I had just done? I couldn't!

Still, I had to try. If I could make this entire epiphany in a matter of seconds, he could forgive me just one last time. He had to.

I knew I had to go back, but just as I was about to turn, someone grabbed my shoulder and spun me roughly. I just had enough time to look into Oliver's hurt eyes and wild hair before he reached for me and pulled me hard towards him. It had only been seconds and he had been right behind me. Oh, thank God for that toned Quidditch body!

His arms wrapped around me and held me tighter than ever before. He buried his face into my hair and I felt his body shake as he sobbed. At the same moment I broke down too and we both bawled together, holding each other as if someone were trying to rip us apart.

Through his choking sobs he just kept repeating in hysterics, "Are you crazy, Penelope? How could you do that? Don't ever do that again. Don't ever leave me again. I love you so much, Penelope. So much. Don't ever do that. Are you crazy?"

The only thing I could manage in what seemed like the hours we spent there was, "I'm so sorry, Oliver. I love you. I love you."


	29. Fears and Falls

Again everyone, I'm sorry this took so long. I hope you enjoy it. Please Review. Thanks:)

Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter and all it's characters do not belong to me, but to J.K. Rowling.

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Days passed very slowly after that. Percy's mood swings scared me to the point where every second my insides were trembling. I was always looking over my shoulders wondering if he would spring on me with more screaming accusations. One morning he would be bright and cheery, then when I returned from my rounds that night he would pounce the second I walked through the portrait, pining me against the wall.

"You were seeing someone, weren't you? You're turning into a little slut! Was it the guy you left me for or some new bloke? You think I wouldn't know? I know, Penelope! I'll kill him! I'll kill _you_!" Threats like these became common. I felt weak and was never able to fight back. Everything I had was taken out of me. Partly from fear, and partly because some of what he said was true.

He never came into my room at night, but still, Oliver's visits became scarce. We were never certain exactly what he would do. The only real private time we got anymore were the nights I came to his dorm. He would always be waiting up near the fire. Still, I could never stay long. If I got back to my own room too late Percy would go completely insane. No place or time was safe.

Still, whenever Oliver and I snuck a kiss, the dangerous feeling of it gave me even more of a rush. However, I would much rather be able to kiss him whenever I wanted without the sick after-feeling of terror. Percy completely ruled our lives.

One of the most uncomfortable times were meals. Both Oliver and Percy would be staring at me, neither realizing the other was looking. Both their eyes kept me uneasy and I wasn't getting much to eat. Basically, the entire situation was making me both mentally and physically sick.

The morning of Oliver's quidditch game, I just couldn't take it anymore. I threw down my fork, which bounced off my plate and into a very startled Mae's porridge, and I stormed out of the Great Hall. Only a few eyes turned to stare, but I kept my head down and just kept moving.

I was contemplating jumping out of the owlry, but I figured that wouldn't really help anyone's problems, so I made a right and pushed open the front doors. As the cool fall air swept over my face and through my hair, I felt like everything was just being blown away. Outside, without anyone to watch or judge me, I just felt free from the problems that went on within the castle walls. For this small amount of time, I could just breathe again.

There was nowhere to really go except the only place that seemed to be there whenever I needed something to comfort me. Whenever I had a problem, somehow Oliver seemed to get me back to looking at that pitch, and even if it didn't resolve everything, if it was good enough for him, it was good enough for me.

So that's where I went. I sat in the best seat, and looked out over everything. My eyes glided over the green field, to the shimmering lake, then up to the sky where the very highest tip of the castle just scraped the clouds. Laying back against the benches, my eyelids relaxed and closed as I let the sun splash over my face.

I finally felt myself breathe for the first time in days. The knot in my back loosened and my mind cleared. The only thing I could picture through the darkness was that first night under the stars with Oliver. Even though confusion reigned, it was all so much more simple. Now, well, I didn't even know what was going on now.

The only thing I did know, was that no place made me more calm than this seat, and I knew it was only because it was Oliver's favorite place. He kept me sane, although he was also the reason I was going insane in the first place. The utter chaos of our entire relationship was completely unlogical to continue, but it was the only thing that gave me any rush of feeling left worth living for.

It was impossible for me to regret Oliver. So as I laid there, my eyes shut, I focused on the future. A time that I knew would come, when Percy was finally stable again, long after Oliver and I had announced our love, when we could walk down a street and hold hands, stopping at a corner to kiss and not caring who saw us. My vision was bright and brought a smile to my face. My entire future played out in my mind, completely serene and joyous. The three of us were smiling and laughing, Percy give us his best wishes, turning to me with a calm expression.

But suddenly, his face began to contort. The gentle curve of his lips turned down into a sneer and his eyes grew menacing. His wand hand thrust towards me and he let out a deafening roar. A stream of color shot from his wand directly towards me, and before I could dodged it, it stung coldly at my face in pinpricks.

My eyes fluttered open to be greeted by a depressingly gray sky. Rain drizzled my face and I quickly wiped the drops of water and sweat from my face. The pitch was quickly filling and a rumble pulsed through the stands as students eagerly chatted and cheered.

Disoriented and still shaken, I looked around me. I thought I was safe, until I saw Percy staring up at me from the bottom of the risers, exactly the way he had been in the last dream I had in this spot. The realization that I had had the same picture play out in my mind twice sent chills up my spine, which worsened as Percy climbed towards me, his eyes never departing from mine.

He didn't say anything, just merely nodded as he passed. I tried to ignore him, taking a deep breath, but after a few moments I couldn't resist it anymore and had to turn to see where he had sat. To my dismay, he was directly behind me two rows back. His face was completely expressionless, but his eyes were intent and focused on me.

I quickly turned forward again, trying to control my body from shaking as the rain began to pour harder. I didn't want anyone to notice, especially not Percy. I couldn't give him the satisfaction. Still, the wind bounding over the seats seemed to somehow slip past all of the cheering bodies and encircle me, engulfing me in a gust of frozen breath from Merlin himself. The rain began to beat madly down on everyone, but the crowd seem to enjoy it, stomping and causing the water to splash back up at us.

It sent my body into convulsions of uncontrollable shaking, the chills creeping throughout my body. I embraced myself to stop it but nothing I could do would stop my blood from chilling. As I whipped my eyes from person to person, watching them jolt in their seats and scream in anguish or triumph, I awed at how they were not feeling the same ice through their veins as I.

I didn't want to know what could possibly be causing this but the thought keep slapping itself into my mind. Slowly, no matter how much I screamed within myself, my body turned back to look up at Percy. I felt like screaming aloud but instead my lips pursed when I stared into Percy's eyes, who had not moved from the exact position they had been in when last I looked. The only thing that had changed was what was within his eyes. They had turned to ice themselves, yet mixed with a fire burning so hot just staring at him caused my face to burn, the only warmth I felt throughout my entire body. I knew the second I saw him that his eyes piercing into my back were the cause of the cold anguish I was going through.

Ripping my gaze from his, I had to force myself to turn back around. I couldn't look at him anymore although his glare compelled me to. My breath was fast and I felt as if my heart would burst out of my chest.

Suddenly, as if it came swooping out of the gray clouds closing in around me, a light shone before my eyes and filled me with warmth. Oliver hoovered above the field before me, flashing a bright smile as our eyes locked. It looked just as the picture he had drawn me.

Even from the distance I could see his eyes fill with everything he wanted to say, and I hoped that my eyes reflected the same love back to him. He was only there for a split second, but staring into his gaze seemed like forever, and in that same instant, his eyes snapped behind me. I knew he had seen Percy, and before I realized what was happening he was breezing above my head and just nearly missing Percy.

I spun around just in time to see Percy flustered and fall back into the row behind him. Oliver hung back a few rows, his eyes ablaze. I thought he was about to attack Percy, when there were simultaneous shrieks from the stands. All three of our heads snapped up and my eyes met the cause of the screams. The first thing I saw were a group of dementors on the field. But it wasn't until I came to realize what I was seeing out of the corner of my eye that I understood what the true terror was about.

It happened quickly, but to me it was as if it had been in slow motion. A figure fell from the clouds near the center of the field. It's arms flailed as it spun about, it's cloak billowing around it. From the distance, the ruby red of the uniform caused it to look as if a single drop of blood was gliding down across the threatening gray clouds.

All at once, in the midst of the screams and shrieks, the entire pitch seemed to hold it's breath and move forward, anticipating the inevitable crushing thud. The players, one by one, stopped in mid-play to turn towards the falling figure, paralyzed in their spots. The howling of the wind combined with the shrieks and the silence to form a deafening ringing that rose above the pitch.

My hands crept to my face to cover my ears as my mouth hung open in horror. From the towers, streams of color were seen shooting past the figure, continually missing in attempts to levitate the body. Teachers could be seen leaning out over the railing in their aiming.

As everyone was frozen in their shock, a streak of ruby shot above my head in an a flash. Oliver darted toward the figure in a fiery blaze, the wind whistling behind him as he drove at top speed. Above the ringing of the pitch, one could hear his scream as he sped forward to catch the falling soul.

"HARRY!" It rang above us as we watched him speed as fast as possible. He stripped his cloak off of him in attempts to move faster. It billowed in the wind for a moment before it became heavy with the fierce rain and fell just as limply as Harry.

For a second, in desperate hopes, it almost seemed as if he would reach Harry in time to save him from the fatal fall. His arm outstretched, he reached forward, nearly off of his broom to catch the falling boy. His fingers graced the edge of Harry's flailing cloak, and the entire pitch sucked in their breath at once as Harry continued to fall, Oliver shooting past with empty hands. He spun and stopped, the horror in his face evident even from the distance as he gazed downward. The entire crowd looked away before the hollowing thud. The only eyes that remained in their painful places were those of Oliver's on Harry, and mine on Oliver.

It seemed as if the crowd had frozen, to be forever locked in time in that moment. Slowly, as if one by one, people began to move again. The first figures seen were Ron and Hermione darting across the field toward Harry's limp body. I faintly remembered seeing them flee out of the corner of my eye the second Harry had first been spotted. The next was Dumbledore's patronus, chasing the dementors away. Soon, the players from both teams slowly started to descend to the field, crowding around Harry. Teachers sprinted toward the scene, moving everyone away. Percy was next, moving down the stairs quickly and barking orders at everyone to move out of his way. Students stood in their places, stunned.

Once Percy was gone, I regained some of my senses. Through the shrieks of, "Harry Potter is dead!" I revived my Head Girl state of mind and began giving my own orders.

"Everyone, get to your common rooms immediately. Keep away from the hospital wing and remain in your rooms until further notice. No detours; straight to the castle and to your rooms. Immediately! Everyone begin to move. Stay away from the field exit." People slowly started to listen and nod, quickly making their way down the stairs. I focused on Oliver again, who had not moved from the placed he hoovered after he had missed Harry. However, I began to take notice of the shouts and pointing of the people around me. I lifted my eyes to see a blue figure descend from where Harry had fallen. In his hand, glinting in the breaking sunlight, was the snitch.

Oliver saw too, a dead expression on his face. Once Harry had been lifted and taken from the field, he finally descended and landed on the muddy field. Slowly, defeated with his head down and shoulders slumped, he walked off the grass, his broom trailing behind him. Most of the stands were empty and the field had been cleared, so it was just him treading alone. My heart tore to see him in such anguish.

Once I had left the stands I found a teacher who had been at Harry's side. She informed me of his condition; of how the field was soft from the rain, how he was carried off to the hospital wing with normal breathing, merely unconscious with some broken bones. It lifted my aching heart to hear Harry was alright, but as I turned to gaze at the player's entrance, I could think only of Oliver. The team had left to be at Harry's side, but Oliver still had not let the pitch.

Slowly, I made my way to the player's area, finding the room which I needed. I placed my hand against the heavy wooden face of the door and pushed gently. Hearing the sound of running water, I entered the Gryffindor team's changing room. With the dozen or so people who would be with Harry in the hospital wing, they didn't need me there. The only person who truly needed me now, was the only person who I truly needed just as much.


	30. Washing Away Worries

Hey everyone. Sorry this took a while, but it was kind of hard to write. It's my first time ever writing something like this, so I hope you enjoy it. Happy Reading. Remember to review! Thanks!

Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter and all it's characters do not belong to me, but to J.K. Rowling.

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The glazed cherry wood of the Gryffindor changing room glistened in the light of the torches. Rows of lockers lined the room parallel to matching benches. To the left of the large room towards the back where the shower stalls were, I heard a steady stream of water and saw steam rise above the frosted door.

Slowly, my feet silent against the hardwood floor, I made my way over to the pane of glass covered in steam. On the front was a large Gryffindor crest. I could barely make out an unmoving silhouette within the stall.

Turning, I looked around the room carefully. It was completely empty. Everyone must have been in the hospital wing with Harry. From the way lockers had been thrown open and emptied, it looked as if none of them were planning on returning. On the bench in front of Oliver's closed locker, someone had lain out his drenched cloak, caked in mud. Sighing, I sat next to it, running my fingers over the soiled ruby fabric.

Oliver must be heartbroken. He was probably drowning away his sorrows in the shower. My entire body ached thinking about his sadness. Slowly, I slipped off my cloak and let it lay on the bench next to his.

Standing up, I began to undo my tie. I let my clothes fall to the floor and wrapped a thick ruby towel around my body. My feet bare against the cool floor, I made my way to the stall door. Silently, I pulled it open.

Oliver didn't move. His palms were flat against the wall before him, his back to me. The water fell over his head. His breathing was slow and heavy as I watched his back arch up and down. His toned body was tense, yet his head fell limply under the stream in defeat.

My heart fluttered in anticipation. I wasn't exactly sure what to do. Percy and I had never gotten this far, and Oliver didn't even know I was there thinking of what I wanted to do. So I stood there, clutching the towel, just watching his every move. Finally, I let the door close behind me with a snap.

His head lifted slowly, as if in disbelief, then cautiously, he turned. The shock in his face made me look away, but my eyes lifted again to his. He didn't try to hide himself, and neither of us seemed ashamed or embarrassed. It was merely the surprise of my appearance and in the manner in which I went about it that shocked him.

"Penelope, what are you doing here?" He stammered, looking me over from top to bottom. Then his eyes unclouded and softened. His beautiful lips curved down and caused his face to wrinkle. Tears swelled as he swallowed deeply and sucked in his breath.

"Oliver..." I knew it wasn't the disappointment of losing. I knew him too well. That was the last thing on his mind.

"I let him fall. I let him drop, Penelope. He was my responsibility. I was too busy with my own worries. I let him fall. I should have been there. I let him fall! I couldn't save him!" His face contorted and he choked on his words. His tears mixed with water and he shook his head roughly.

I went to him, embraced him and buried my face in his neck. Feeling him so closely to me, with only a towel between us, sent a rush of heat through my body. His arms wrapped themselves strongly around me, holding me as if I could make the pain go away. The water splashed over both of us now, the warmth mixing with our bodies.

"Oliver, I'm so sorry. It's not your fault. You were the only one who tried. You tried. It's not your fault. Harry will be alright." I whispered urgently, trying to make him understand. The longer he was in pain, the longer I was. I could never live with him in sorrow.

He shook his head and his cheek rubbed against mine. My fingers traced his back as water ran over them. I slowly started to kiss his shoulder as his arms tightened.

"Penelope, I love you so much," He whispered into my hair. I could only nod as I pushed myself against him harder. His head bent down and our lips found each other. I pushed myself up on the balls of my feet to lean into his lips and make our kiss deeper. Slowly, the towel fell from around me and slipped to the tiles below us. Nothing separated us as our skin met, water flowing around us and over our bodies.

We kissed feverishly, as if we would never hold each other again. He ran his fingers through my hair as water soaked it. It reminded me of our first real kiss in the alley behind Honeydukes. I completely let myself go, giving myself completely to him. I let the rain wash away all doubts and troubles. All I needed at that moment was him, and all I needed at this moment was him again. I was ready and willing to give myself to him with no second thoughts or worries. I needed to follow my heart. It was the only thing I owed responsibility to.

He pushed me against the wall, warmed by the steam. Still, the tiles and his touch sent shivers through my spine. His hand cupped my face as we continued to kiss passionately, and his other hand explored my body. He softly caressed me in ways Percy had never dared. It wasn't forward; it was loving and warm. My own hands glided over his body, trying to touch every inch of him in attempts to bring him closer to me.

I was losing myself in his deep kisses, when suddenly he pulled away. I tried to push my head up and forward to find his lips again, but he held back. My eyes opened to see his straining face and troubled eyes.

"Penelope, are you sure you want to do this? I don't want to do anything you don't want to do." He swallowed deeply, his breath hard.

I couldn't understand how he would even think that after coming this far I would want to stop. Did he want to stop? I looked into his eyes and saw the desire building behind them. It was driving me mad just to be waiting these few seconds. How could he possibly be waiting so calmly? I was about to ask him what he wanted, when I felt him rub against my leg, answering my question. His body quivered and the heat within mine rose. I slung my arms around his neck, bringing him down to me and began again to kiss him feverishly.

He moaned into my mouth but we both refused to pull away. Firmly, he lifted me up against the wall the same way he had done in the alleyway, our lips never parting. One hand cupped my breast, massaging it fiercely, as his other continued to graze my body. He positioned himself between my legs, the tips of his fingers running up my thigh. It sent chills through my body which burst into flames of passion. I craved his touch, I needed to be as close to him as possible.

Finally our mouths parted as he brought his lips to my chest, gently sucking and nibbling. My soft moans forced my lips to part into groans. My fingers ran through his hair and over his shoulders as he continued, the water lapping over our bodies in a warm blanket.

"Oliver...I need you." I panted between my groans of desire. His nibbling ceased as his kisses rose from my chest, over my neck and back to my lips. My hands cupped his face as I hungrily attacked his lips. The fire within me was building to a point where I no longer could stand it. "Oliver!" I moaned during breaths between our kiss.

Just when it seemed I wouldn't be able to stand it anymore, I felt him push against me. In one smooth motion, his hips pushed forward and we became one. Our heads were thrown back as we both moaned. My muscles tightened around him and relaxed as he began to pull out slowly. Gingerly he began moving in and out as we both moaned in ecstacy.

Between our moans we would chant each others names as Oliver's thrusts became faster. His hands were placed firmly on my hips, then rose over my chest and glided over my arms to entwine his fingers within mine. Pressing his palms to mine, the back of my hands pressed against the tiles above my head.

Oliver pushed harder and deeper, and as he became faster it seemed the water fell quicker. The stall seemed to spin as my moans became screams of passion. I would either yell his name or scream in the inability to do anything else.

The pleasure of him inside me drove me to near madness, which I was sure would overtake me if it wasn't for the delicious feeling of passion. My fingers tightened around his as the feeling inside me rose to new heights.

The rhythm of our movement surprised me, as we moved with expertise. I had no idea how many times Oliver had done this before, but for me it was a first. Yet I seemed to be moving as if I had done this hundreds of times with other lovers. My body moved atop him in ways that made us both gasp and groan.

Our kisses were short, unable to go long without panting and taking deep breaths. Instead Oliver nibbled at my body, sucking and licking in desirable places, learning what spots would make me quiver. There wasn't much I could do with my hands, him keeping them pinned above me, and my mouth was above his. Still, my legs wrapped tightly around his waist, I managed to slip them between his legs and stroke his thigh. It made him groan and his legs buckle slightly, but that only made him push harder in pleasure.

Soon, our moans and screams grew, rising above the stall door and echoing into the changing room. Our ecstacy rose and climbed to its highest peak and Oliver thrust deeper into me. I screamed enjoyably, clenching against him as he called out my name and collapsed against me. A warmth filled within me as our breathing slowed.

His head rested against my chest and his eyes closed, a soft smile on his lips. I let my cheek fall to the top of his head, the way he always held me. Our arms fell and he wrapped his around me tightly, still holding me up. He reached out and finally turned off the shower.

We stood that way until our breathing became normal again. The feeling of our fiery passion still within me, I kissed the top of his head gently. His face rose to mine and his eyes opened, the same soft smile on his lips. Our lips met tenderly as he slowly lowered me to my feet. I wobbled slightly, still trembling from the immense pleasure.

Softly, we both lowered ourselves to the floor, him embracing me strongly. I rested my head against his toned chest, listening to his heart beat. My arm made its way across his torso and we held each other.

"Penelope, I love you." He whispered.

"Oliver, if you never said the words again for as long as we lived, I would still know that you loved me by the way you hold me." I smiled and stroked his chest, placing a soft kiss on it.

"Penelope..."

"Yes, Oliver?"

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

He nuzzled his cheek into my hair and we sat that way, just holding each other tenderly. I gazed at his strong hands around me. Finally, I noticed the gold band around his finger.

"Oliver?"

"Hmm?" he moaned gently into my hair.

"What's that?"

"What's what?" he murmured sleepily.

"The ring, around your finger. What is it?"

He picked up his hand and examined it as if he had to see the band to remember what it was.

"Oh, my ring. Right. My father gave it to me. It was his, and his father's before that, and so on. It has a special charm that has it resize to whoever's finger it truly belongs to. You see, it's a family tradition. When the time is right, the one who has the ring places it on the finger of the one the ring is going to. If it's truly meant to belong to that person, the ring will size itself to fit that person's finger. It's almost like a right-of-passage. I got it when I was four years old and I flew my first broomstick. Father was so proud." He chuckled at the memory and I smiled. He spoke so fondly of the ring, it was obviously something that meant a lot to him.

"There's more. Watch." He positioned his hand in front of my face to see the ring. I lifted myself and watched closely. He swiped his thumb over the band. I thought he was trying to wipe the water off of it, so I waited for him to do something, but when he didn't make a move, I turned to look at him. He merely nodded at the ring, "Watch." To my surprise, an engraved ruby form appeared on the band. It took the perfect shape of a broomstick, then glided around the ring.

"Oliver, that's amazing! I've never seen anything like that." I looked again to the ring and saw thin strips begin to form, spelling out in beautiful calligraphy, "Oliver Wood."

"It's wonderful, Oliver. Really remarkable." I settled myself again against his chest and his arms wrapped themselves again around me.

"Yeah, they don't make these types of things anymore. It's been in my family for generations...Penelope, did you hear anything about Harry before you came here?" He asked slowly, almost afraid of the answer.

"Yes, Oliver. He'll be fine," I answered, glad to be able to comfort him. "The ground was soft from the rain. He's probably already awake and being healed."

"Thank Merlin. I don't know what I would have done if...I should have been there. I should have been on the field watching. Every player wearing the Gryffindor badge is my responsibility. I have to be sure they're alright at all times."

"Oliver, you know that's not true. Quidditch is a dangerous sport and you know that! Everyone on that field, yourself included, knows the danger when they put on their uniform. It's not up to you to be sure that everyone is always safe. You can't always keep your eye on everyone. And don't tell me that you always have before. People are constantly injured and you can't beat yourself up about it every time."

"I know, but...I wasn't on the field when it happened," he moaned sorrowfully, then, his voice darkened, "Penelope, seeing him looking at you like that...if it wasn't for what happened with Harry, I honestly might have killed him."

"Don't say that. You know it isn't true." The fact was, I wasn't even sure it wasn't true.

"Still...I should have been there for Harry. If I was on the field and watching the game, I would have made it to him in time," He sucked in his breath and rub his cheek against my hair again, "I could have helped him."

I didn't know what to say. Any comfort I could try to give him would just keep his mind on it more.

I entwined my fingers in his again and sat silently, thinking of the way our paths had crossed. I had never thought that after that first time on the staircase, I would again be in Oliver Wood's arms. He had somehow saved me and brought me to life with his kisses and his love. I could hardly even remember why I had constantly pushed him away. Still, he always forgave me and ran after me. I couldn't remember any other time a person had run after me. It was always me who had to sulk back and apologize. How could I ever show him as much love as he showed me? Could I ever be as understanding? If he were to ever scream and storm away, I don't know if I would even have the strength to run after him; I would be too heartbroken. How many times had I crushed this boy's heart, and still he had the will to try again?

I clutched to him and he instinctively tightened his grip. Looking at his ring, I ran my finger over it, wanting to see his name again, to be sure this was real, and I was really with this amazing boy. But nothing happened. I almost would have panicked if I hadn't been laying in his arms.

"It only works when I do it," he whispered. "It only works for the one the ring belongs to." I smiled as I watched the broom shoot around the band.

"Oliver, will you come to my room tonight? And spend the night with me?" I turned my head to gaze at him. He tucked in the corner of his mouth and his brow tightened.

"What about-"

"I don't care. I don't care about anything but you. I love you, Oliver, and I need you. I want you to come tonight. Please." I bit my bottom lip, anticipating his answer. If he didn't come, I'd be alone with the thought of Percy sleeping in the next room. I needed Oliver's touch and warmth.

"Hey, what did I tell you? Your lips are too pretty for you to be chewing on them. Put them here instead." He bent down and placed his lips on mine, gently kissing my worries away. "Of course I'll come."

"Oh, Oliver." My hand rose to his cheek and his eyes closed. He turned his head and kissed my hand, then tilted his head back against the wall, a content smile on his lips.

Nothing, not a single person or thing, could take away the moments of love we shared when we were in each other's arms.


	31. From Great To Gray

I hope you enjoy this chapter. More to come. Please review. Thanks!

Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter and all it's characters do not belong to me, but to J.K. Rowling.

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The rain was pouring by the time I left the changing room. It could have been the mud forcing me to take wider steps, but I felt a spring in my step. Practically the entire way I danced rather than walked. The rain lapping against the castle and grass was merely my symphony.

Even through the chill that filled the air, I felt warm from the inside out. Nothing could wipe the happiness from my thoughts. After all, my thoughts were mostly about Oliver. I even hummed as I raced up the front steps of the castle. Nothing could bring me down from the high I was experiencing.

I skipped into the common room for the first time in weeks without feeling dread or fear. Oliver was like a blanket of comfort floating around me, his promise to see him tonight keeping it snug about me. I lightly pushed my bedroom door behind me without my usual ritual of locking charms.

Still humming, I walked to my wardrobe to search for an outfit for tonight. Everything had to be perfect; as perfect as if it were the first time all over again. I knew that today would be imprinted in my mind forever, but I wanted the night to be just as permanent in my thoughts as well.

I still felt Oliver's arms wrapped around me, and when I closed my eyes I could still feel the shower tapping against us. It sent shivers down my back while inside I felt as warm as a mug of butterbeer. Surely this was what love was. What love really was. Feeling as though the person was still with you even when you're apart, and craving the moment when you really are together again. The mutual longing just to set eyes on each other; to have a warmth spread throughout you whether being pressed up against each other or to merely have their fingertips graze your arm. This had to be real love, the love that you search all your life for. What did I do to deserve that love to catch me in it's arms while my back was turned? Perhaps love truly was blind. But it didn't happen to find you by chance; you were the one to find it when you weren't even looking.

I was so caught up in my thoughts, I didn't notice the breeze flow through my room from the window to the softly creaking door. I probably wouldn't have noticed at all if the gust hadn't raised the hairs on the back of my neck. The shivers down my spine changed from tingles of excitement to pricks of dread. I didn't want to turn, but the instinctive reflex took over my mind and before I knew it I was staring into a dead face with burning eyes.

"Percy! What are you doing in my room?" I held a shirt against my chest as if he had caught me naked. The way his eyes pierced through me made me feel as if he did.

"I'm not in your room, darling." His icy voice made my blood run cold. He held the door so tightly his knuckles became white. Slowly, he stepped into the room and closed the door behind him with an ever so soft click. "Now, I'm in your room."

I cursed myself for not setting the locks. He was probably waiting weeks for a time when I would forget and he could get in without using magic.

"Get out. Now! You have no right to be in here." My mind quickly scanned all possible routes to escape. Within a second I came up with nothing.

"Right? Right? You want to bring up what's right? You want to talk about what's right?" His voice remained completely level and took a step closer, but I held my ground. I wasn't about to be bullied by him anymore. A steel rod grew in my back.

"I know exactly what is right, Percy Weasley. I want you out. Now go." My fury rose as he remained in my room without any signs of retreating.

"My dearest Penelope," he took a step closer, "Darling, Penelope." His eyes softened and his face relaxed. The way his eyes glazed over and his head cocked to the side, it was as if he was reliving some moment of the past.

"I'm not yours anymore, Percy. You have to leave." Still, he kept coming closer. Everything suddenly turned bright and shapes began to blur as if sirens were blinding my senses. I knew alarms were going off inside my body to do something quickly. I just didn't know what I could possibly do or what Percy had in mind.

"Penelope, you will always belong to me. There's no one else who can possibly match you as well as I. Everyone knows it. Everyone is shocked that we're not together at the moment. If everyone in this school feels that we should be together, don't you think it's meant to be?"

"Not everyone thinks we belong together, Percy. Not everyone."

Suddenly he stopped coming towards me. His eyes came back into focus and the burning rushed back into his eyes. "Of course not everyone. There's someone that doesn't want us to be together, isn't there? Or maybe more than just one. I know you've been a little tramp these past few weeks we haven't been together. I know, Penelope. I see it in your eyes. I know you better than anyone. Better than anyone, Penelope! You can't hide it from me."

At that he rushed forward and before I even realized he had moved he was gripping my arm roughly, practically pulling my body up and towards him. The shock at his rage and his fingers digging into my flesh kept me from even crying out. My mouth just hung open as my eyes widened with terror.

His face was right in front of mine as he spat his next words. I could feel his breath on my skin and it felt like fire. "Maybe I should just take you now. Is that what you would want, you little whore? Hm? Is that why you left me? So you could run around and get laid by anyone who would take you? Is that right, Penelope? How many dark halls have you lifted your skirt in? You're a worthless tramp, aren't you? I respected you. I left you alone. Now I should just take you like the rest did and get it over with. Is that what you would want? Would you come back to me then?"

"Shut your filthy mouth you bastard! You take back every lie you just spit!" His grip on my arm tightened but I didn't allow myself to wince. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

"How do you let them have you? Do you tell them you want it hard like a _whore_? Because you are a whore. You're a filthy whore and you know it. It's burning you inside. Did you sleep around even when we were a couple? You did, didn't you? Every time you went off alone on one of your 'walks' you were probably meeting some asshole against a tree or behind a curtain. Yeah, that's right, that's what you were doing."

With each crazed sentence he became more furious, as if I were answering yes to everything he said. Deep down he probably even believed what he was saying. Every time he made a stabbing accusation my teeth would clench and my anger rose just as his. I tried to break free of his grip but it was ironclad, as if I wasn't struggling at all.

"You're crazy, Percy. Let me go. You've gone insane. You let me go right now and take back everything you've said. You know it isn't true you filthy liar! Stop! Let go now!" He ignored me and began to shake me roughly.

"You liked it didn't you? Running around, sleeping around, going behind my back! You enjoyed it knowing that you were hurting me! You wanted to hurt me! You did it on purpose!"

"I never meant to hurt you, Percy!" I screamed at him as my arm began to go numb. Suddenly, I realized what I had said. My fear rose as my anger diminished, anticipating his reaction.

He stopped shaking me then, but his grip remained. He stared straight into my eyes, his jaw clenched, his chin flinching.

He began slow and softly, "You did cheat on me. You admit it," then suddenly his rage burst again and he howled into my face so fiercely my eyes closed and my head snapped backwards. "You WHORE! You admit it! You did cheat on me! You TRAMP! TRAMP!"

In between I tried helplessly to take back what I had said; To somehow reason with him.

"No, Percy. No. I never cheated on you. I didn't sleep with anyone. I swear it! Percy, please! You're hurting me!" My cries were feeble against his fury, although I shouted at the top of my lungs. It terrified me to think that all dormitory walls were soundproof. If he killed me now, no one would have heard my screams.

"How many? How many you whore? Ten! Twenty probably! Even more! You slut! SLUT! I bet you haven't even done it in a bed yet. You filthy slut. You've had to do it on the sly, sneaking around. You probably spread your legs against a wall every time, or you pressed your back on some cold floor. Whore! I'll just take my share. I'll have my turn now! Right now!"

He shoved me towards the bed and I fell back roughly, bouncing back up slightly. Before I had time to think, he was already on top of me, his legs on either side, pinning me down. His hands held my arms down to the bed as he glared into my face.

"I was with you for nearly two years! Two years! For WHAT? Nothing! I never slept with you once! And meanwhile you were gallivanting with every boy in Hogwarts! I want what's rightfully mine! Mine! I've earned it!" His yells made the bed shake.

I was completely horrified. Was he really going to rape me? He couldn't. This was Percy. The boy who barely kissed me on the cheek in private without blushing. Percy Weasley. The red haired child who nearly had a heart attack when he asked me out. But now he was crazed. He had changed. Now his was cursing me out and pushing me onto a bed. Now he was terrifying.

"Please, Percy, no. Don't do this! Stop! Please! Stop!" Tears ran down my face and my throat went hoarse. Still, I couldn't match his shouting.

"I'll fuck you now like the whore you are! You deserve it! I deserve it! I deserve to fuck you after putting up with you! How do you tell all your other boys to do it? Hm? Do they kiss you first?" His mouth began to cover my face. His tongue shot down my throat and I gagged, but he wouldn't relent. Then he made his way down my neck, biting at my shoulder.

My cries were futile, no one could hear me. I stopped yelling and just sobbed. I'd plead with him when I could find the breath but he kept working his mouth around my neck and face, biting at the collar of my shirt. Buttons snapped and the top of my shirt came undone, exposing my breasts to him.

"Is that the way they do it? It is, you whore? Do you like it like this? Do you tell them you want it this way?"

Suddenly, every moment of our relationship shot before my eyes. The moment he awkwardly asked me to Hogsmeade. The first time he held my hand. The first time I met his family and he proudly introduced me. The first time he reviewed my homework and told me it was rubbish. The first time he put me down in front of teachers to make himself look better. The first time he scolded me for trying to be playful with him. The first time he made me feel inadequate next to him. From our first kiss to our last. And suddenly, I realized how much of my life and happiness I had wasted on him. I realized that he disgusted me in every way possible, and that from the second I had said yes to him to this very second upon this very bed he had made my life miserable. And finally, I realized that I was no longer going to stand for him ruling over my life and my happiness. My life was named my own for a reason. And he had no right to ruin it. Not then, not now, and not ever. He was never going to scar me again.

With all my strength that I had subdued within the past two years I let out a cry of rage and shoved against his weight. He stopped his screaming and he began to topple to the side. When I was free enough to scramble out from under him, I leaped to the floor and made my way ferociously to my night table. Grabbing my wand, I pointed at his chest as he lay stunned on the bed.

"Never again, Percy Weasley." I whispered in a raspy voice, tears stinging my eyes.

"You bitch." He growled and began to lift himself towards me. I quickly jabbed my wand towards him and he stopped.

"I will curse you now and smile as they drag me into Azkaban if you so much as twitch a finger my way," I began slowly, "If you ever again dare to try and harm me, I will ruin you. I will find away to see that you fail in life and never become the acclaimed wizard you so damned desire to be. You will never see the light of fame or glory that you swear has been fucking awaiting you since birth if you again interfere in my life. Don't touch me. Don't stalk me. Don't dare scream at me. You no longer have any power over me and I will not be frightened of you, because I no longer give a damn about you or what happens to me if I were to kill you now." My voice was so eerily flat and monotonous that it even alarmed me. My body quivered and my jaw was tight, but I kept my wand pointed at his chest as he breathed heavily and glared at me.

I took a step back with my wand still ready and made a path for him to the door. He slowly rose, his eyes still locked on mine and filled with fire. Slowly he turned and backed to the door as to keep our eyes met. As he gripped the handle, he stopped and took a sharp breath, barring his teeth.

"You may think you've gained strength, Penelope, but this isn't over." With that he slammed the door shut behind him and was gone.

I stood strong and stared after him, but after moments of a blank mind, I collapsed to the floor with uncontrollable sobs. I rocked myself and cried until my eyes hurt and my throat was too sore to let out another sound.

There was no stopping him. He was out of anyone's control. Something had really broken within him. Now he was a monster. Now we were truly in trouble. He would take down the one thing I wanted more than anything.

At that thought, my window slid open and through it came Oliver. His eyes widened in horror as he stared at me crumpled and clutching myself. As he rushed towards me, everything started to fade and my mind went black. The last thing I remembered was him catching me before I fell against the floor.


	32. Opening Eyes

I hope you enjoy this chapter. More to come. Please review. Thanks!

Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter and all it's characters do not belong to me, but to J.K. Rowling.

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A mist wisped around me as I lay flat on my back. Hard stone made my back sore, but the mist lifted me and set me down on a softer ground. As I sank into the cushion of the moist earth, the blackness surrounding me faded. Still, no light graced the darkness behind my tightly closed eyes. The black faded to green. A dark, tinted green at first, but as the mist began to take the color of the hue, it became a brighter, sharper green. The mist began to move quicker, circling me, taking form to stab at my chest and strike at my face. Although I felt nothing of the smoky entity attacking me, my body still jerked as if suffering.

I couldn't force my eyes open. They were tightly sealed as my jaw clenched. I couldn't move my body to strike back at the wrathful mist. Outwardly, I couldn't feel anything. Inside, everything burned and ached.

My forehead was suddenly cooled. I thought the mist must have finally pierced my skin as a liquid began to glide down over my eyes. My blood trickled down the sides of my head, but it froze the skin it touched instead of warming it.

The green haze continued to jab.

Quickly, as if bounding out from within me, a cloud of purple began to form and overtake the green. It fell over me in a blanket, protecting me, whispering and gliding throughout my hair. Finally I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with the violet fog.

As it streaked throughout my hair, the warmth of it's touch brought on a deeper color. Slowly, the purple got darker and darker till it was a royal blue.

The blue filled my eyes, until I finally realized my eyes had opened. I had awoken to my own room, my own bed, the blanket drawn high to my chin. The purple and green were gone. Only the touch remained.

I blinked slowly, opening and closing my eyes, letting my senses take form. The shuttering of my eyes became more rapid as the blanket over my thoughts lifted. As I realized something was still running through my hair, I let out a weak cry, closing my eyes again and sobbing. It wasn't a dream. Something was still there. Something could still carry me away into the darkness forever. My frozen blood still trickled down my brow. I thought it had seeped back within and frozen my heart.

Suddenly the frozen pressure lifted from my head and the trickling stopped. The only wetness running down my face were my own tears. Still, the mist was not gone, although I could no longer see it. It whispered into my hair and in my ear like a smooth breeze. As I felt it begin to grace my face, putting pressure on my eyes and over my tears, my sobs grew as I panicked.

My body was still sore and weak, so I could only jerk around to try and dissipate the fog. I uttered sobs and small screams as my tired body allowed, but it didn't go away. It only persisted. Clenching my eyes again, I could only shake my head and repeat "no."

"Penelope..." The stroking through my hair continued but the feeling spread to my arm and began to hold me tightly. I thought I saw the green creeping back from the darkness behind my eyes.

"Penelope...Penelope! Open your eyes!"

"No!" I cried and fell limp again. It was even too painful to clench my eyes and they slowly fell open. The only green I could see was the emerald within Oliver's eyes.

His face froze in silent concern but he didn't ask what was wrong. My breathing slowed to scarcity and we merely stared at each other. I couldn't speak and he couldn't form the words to inspire me to. So, instead, he climbed over me and laid down with his arms wrapped around my frozen body. Together, we laid there, staring at the ceiling as the world around us muted in empathy. We stayed that way till the window began to shine with the warmth of a new day.

Throughout the night I gathered my thoughts. My eyes moved about the room to see a washcloth with a bowl of water next to the bed, my door glowing with nearly every locking charm, two robes crumpled on the floor, and my torn shirt from the night before. I had lifted my hand to my forehead to realize it was not blood but water trickling down my face, as Oliver must have placed the washcloth on my head. The robes were obviously mine and Oliver's. He must have changed my shirt while I was unconscious, since I was now wearing a loose t-shirt.

When the sunlight fell over us, I turned to look at him. His eyes were closed. His face was face from peaceful, looking as if he fell asleep with the same concerned look he wore as he stared down at me. Now the troubles were taunting him in his dreams.

I simply studied him. How could this boy have gotten himself into something so troublesome? He had the ability to live the perfect life. He was everything every boy in Hogwarts wanted to be. Still, he had fallen into a trap of turmoil. We had fallen into it together.

I stared at the ceiling again, my eyes heavy but no where near tired. My body felt weak, but I had the feeling I wouldn't be able to sleep again for the rest of my life. I sighed heavily, but calmed as Oliver began to slowly stroke my cheek. Looking at him again, his eyes were still closed, but his face was more relaxed.

"Wanna talk about it?" He asked softly, still with closed eyes as he nuzzled into my hair.

"No." I quietly answered.

"You know you need to. I need to you tell me." He waited.

"Last night..." I couldn't continue.

"You need to." He opened his eyes and propped on his shoulder to look at me. The concerned look returned. I couldn't stand to see him so worried and upset.

"Last night...Percy attacked me." Instantly his eyes narrowed and his jaw started to flex. Before I could go any further, he leaped over me and was at the door, screaming unlocking charms.

"Oliver, stop! Oliver, wait a minute! Stop! OLIVER!" A thumping began in my head and I fell back to the pillow with a groan.

I heard Oliver stop and rush back to the bedside.

"Are you alright? What happened? I'll kill Percy, I swear I'll bloody kill him."

"Please, Oliver, don't do anything. It'll only be worse. I think keeping it a secret will be better for now. He's not ready to know. He might never be ready. He's gone mad. Truly mad. I was able to get him off of me and out, and that's when you came in. Oliver, I'm terrified of him. I thought he was really going to kill me. He tried to rape me." Remembering and saying it aloud brought tears to my eyes. Oliver quickly wiped them away as he pledged revenge.

"No, he can't get away with this. He won't. I won't let him ever touch you again. Never."

"Oh, Oliver. Just...Shut up!" His head snapped back as if I had slapped him. My heart ached as if I had, but I couldn't help it.

"What?" Was all he managed to get out.

"Oliver, you have yet to truly listen and grasp what I've been trying to telling you for weeks now. Weeks! You act as if you understand, and you may truly think that you do, but you don't. You don't! Now stop and really think about what's happened. Really think about what Percy has done. About how he's changed up to this very moment." He sat back and stared deeply into the carpet. I swung my legs over the side of the bed and looked down at him. He looked helpless. It hurt, but I had to finally drive into his head what was happening to our worlds. Percy and his temper were not just weeds in our garden.

"Percy is no longer the bitter and jealous ex-boyfriend, Oliver. He's not angry, or on the rebound, or struggling to move on. He's dangerous. He's not the same Percy Weasley that he was at the beginning of term. Think about what he talks about during meals. Think about the way his eyes are constantly sharp and dark. His shoulders haunch now. He stalks instead of walks. His voice is raspy and low. Nothing is the same. He's become sinister. Everything is done in spite or vengeance. Oliver, he tried to rape me! Percy used to tremble when he touched my shoulder when we kissed!" The mention of intimacy between Percy and I made Oliver's lip curl, but I could see his eyes beginning to cloud with realization. "He's not safe, Oliver. We can't let him know what's going on. Not for anything. No matter what. If he finds out that I really am with anyone, if his suspicions are without a doubt confirmed, he will completely go over the edge. Nothing will stop him. And if he finds out that it's you, his best friend, the only other person in his life whom he still connects with, then Oliver, he may never go back to who he was. He would lose everything. And the two of us would be in true danger. More so than we are now. Because right now, Oliver, we aren't safe. Not really. He's willing to harm me. Which means he's willing to harm anyone near me."

I waited for a reaction, and his eyes slowly lifted to mine. They were coated in tears, but he wouldn't let them fall. He merely nodded his head and reached for my hand. He inched towards me and rose.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I wouldn't let myself see." Softly, his lips met mine. It was so gentle I felt as if air had passed over my lips rather than touching his. Instead of continuing, he pulled away. "I'm sorry. Do you want me to stay? Or leave? You've been through so much tonight. I... I don't..." He looked down and moved back slightly, but held onto my hand.

I had been through a lot that night. Obviously, he didn't know how I felt, what I was going through inside, or what to do. What he should have known though, was that the only thing I needed was him to be next to me. I needed him to be with me. My entire ordeal would mean nothing if I didn't have him. I needed his love; I craved his touch.

"I just want you." I whispered, and pulled him to me.

Our lips met again and I made sure there was more heat between us this time. He fell over me and we were flat against the bed, our feet dangling over the side. His hands slid down my sides and at my waist, slightly lifting my shirt to rub my skin.

I began tugging at his sweater. He stopped momentarily to raise himself and let me help him remove it. Before he fell again we quickly lifted mine up and off, tossing it to the floor alongside his. I felt him kick off his shoes as I pushed at his belt. I had to stop, however, as his lips moved down my neck and I began to quiver.

My fingers glided over his bare back, feeling his toned muscles, as his lips continued to travel down my collarbone. He nibbled and sucked gently all the way down, settling at my breasts. Reaching behind me, he undid the clasp of my bra and it slid away, exposing my chest to his hot breath. His hands continued to glide over my torso as his mouth grazed my breasts.

When I realized how loudly I was moaning, I gasped, "Silencing charms?"

Between sucking he mumbled back, "Dozens."

My fingers ran through his hair as he continued down over my stomach and began to unbutton my pants. I propped myself on my elbows as he pulled them off. He stood up and I began to unbuckle his belt. Sliding his pants down, he kicked them off and fell over me again.

It was all happening so fast, but the feeling of our bare skin rubbing against one another lingered, creating the feeling of slow motion and intensifying our need for one another. The more we touched the faster we tried to move, pushing our bodies together. No matter what we did, it was as if we weren't close enough.

Soon we were completely naked, clutching each other beneath the blanket, barely stopping for breath. With Oliver on top, our movements pushed the blanket down until it stopped at his waist. My fingers pressed into his shoulders, my palms rubbing against his smooth skin.

Our rhythm slowed as we savored each moment. He pushed softly as my legs wrapped about his and my back arched. It seemed as if we would last forever in our epitome of ecstacy, our bodies wet with perspiration and the only sounds around us being our panting and moans. Finally, our moans rose to screams that filled the room, and with a harsh shudder, Oliver collapsed against me. My fingers ran through his hair as my other arm wrapped around him, waiting for our breath to slow.

He moved to lie next to me, and I nestled into his chest, his arms drawn around me. We didn't speak, we didn't move. We just merely stayed that way until morning. Until we had to face the new rays of sun and whatever they brought...together.


	33. LIght and Dark

I hope you enjoy this chapter. More to come. Please review. Thanks!

Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Harry Potter and all it's characters do not belong to me, but to J.K. Rowling.

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Once the room was completely filled with light, we both knew it was time to re-enter reality. Reluctantly, Oliver climbed over me and began picking up his clothes, throwing them on as he found them. No straightening charms passed through his mind as he gave me one last kiss and clutched his broomstick at the window.

"I'll see you at breakfast then," he lifted the window enough for him to climb out, but hesitated and looked at me. "You'll be alright?"

Nodding and giving him a smile, he reluctantly mounted his broom and I watched as he darted higher towards the Gryffindor tower. Now it was my turn to get up. Pulling the first thing I could find out of my wardrobe, I began undoing the charms presently mimicking fireworks against my wall.

Clutching my clothes in a ball against my chest as a shield, I slowly peeked out of my door. The hallway seemed clear, but I couldn't be sure if Percy was in the bathroom or not. The last thing I wanted was to chance walking in on him. With a last sweep of my eyes down the corridor, I made a dash for the far end. Throwing myself into the room, I locked the door behind me and leaned against it. The tiles were misted, but it was empty, which was a good sign that Percy was already up and out.

I quickly bathed and dressed, making my way back to my bedroom, assuming Percy had gone. The entire dormitory was quiet, and it was good to relax in my own living quarters. Usually my second home was more of a prison than a place to live.

I took my time leaving, enjoying not being rushed and pressured to be early. I felt refreshed and my thoughts were light, not really dwelling on any particular thing, just enjoying the familiar surroundings of Hogwarts.

Realizing that many students were staring at me as they passed, I frowned a bit, but then realized that it was at the sight of my dazed expression. I suppose they just don't know what it really feels like to be able to breathe after being restrained for so long. Laughing, I stopped at what I thought was a mirror. I wanted to turn and see my dazed reflection, but was taken aback to see that it wasn't a mirror at all.

I could have sworn as I walked I saw myself out of the corner of my eye, but instead of glass I was staring at a painting. The same painting of the crowded corridor I had seen before. I again saw the small figure in the corner with blonde hair that I could have sworn resembled me. It seemed to stand out more than the rest. There was one face that could have been Oliver's, but it was so dark that I couldn't tell. Squinting and leaning in closer I tried to define the face, remembering it to be so much more distinct the last time I had seen it.

Nothing seemed to stand out except for the blonde girl, and I even tapped the other figures, trying to get them to move. It didn't make sense for a muggle painting to be in Hogwarts. Finally standing back, my lips pursed, and I was about to move on. Before I could, another figure started to lighten. It was as if the sun from the high panes above began to grace the picture, but the rays only fell on one person. The spot was right behind the blonde, and the longer I stared, the more my eyes widened to see a mop of red hair become more defined.

When I could distinctly make out the wired frames around the eyes and the myriad of flecks upon the face, a huge wave of air filled my lungs as if I had been punched in the stomach. My gasp of pure shock sent me backwards, but I was stopped by a solid mass behind me.

Still reeling from the air choking my throat, I couldn't get out a scream before a hand clasped over my mouth and another wrapped around my body. I was dragged backwards, and the last thing I saw before being drenched in darkness was the portrait slowly dissolving away from me. A large drape fell before the tunnel opening and cut off all light. Still not being able to see my captor, I knew that this time, it wasn't Oliver.

He slammed me against the wall and pinned my upper body with the back of one arm, while grinding his legs below my waist to hold me in place. I couldn't see him, but could only feel as he roughly violated every inch of me. He didn't touch or feel, but pushed and bruised as his breath heated my neck.

I groaned in pain, only able to moan his named through gritted teeth.

"Percy..."

"Shut up!" He spat in my face, then attacked my mouth with his own. His tongue fiercely attacked mine and he remained locked until I felt as if I would pass out from lack of air. Finally he pulled back, but angrily bit my bottom lip. I winced and sucked on it, tasting blood.

As tears streamed down my face, he muttered a silencing and body binding charm. Mute and unable to move, he finally relented his crushing grip.

I could feel his breath as he whispered, "Lumos," and the flicker from his wand cast ominous shadows across his face, within an inch from my own.

"Now you'll listen. Now you're as helpless as you are worthless, you little whore."

I couldn't believe that this same place, the place where I had once before thought I would be violated, was again where I was pulled into a nightmare. This time, my eyes didn't open to the graceful sight of Oliver's lips. This time, I stared at the hideous snarl of menacing hatred.

"You think you're so clever, don't you? You think you're something _special_?" His voice growled and I watched his fist clench till his knuckles turned white. "Well, you're not! You are nothing!"

He backed away, mumbling under his breath, and all I could do was watch his shadow frantically pace. All I wanted was to be able to speak to him. To coax him back to sanity and console him to understanding. We weren't meant to be. We weren't in love, and we never would be. It wasn't either of our faults that this path didn't fit into the perfect life that he so desperately desired.

Suddenly, he stopped his pacing and slammed his palms to the wall on either side of my head. I trembled at the thought that he had missed my face, until I felt his fingers entwine in my hair. Clenching my teeth at the thought of him ripping locks from my flesh, to an even greater horror, I realized that he was caressing the strands.

"We could have been great, Penelope," he whispered, pressing his lips to my forehead and inhaling deeply at my roots. "We were prefect. Only, you had to stray. You couldn't just be responsible and sensible. All you cared about was getting _fucked_." Again, he smashed his body against mine and his hands fell from my hair to my chest, cupping my breasts. "This is what you wanted, wasn't it? _Isn't _it? Hm? Yeah, this is what you like now, right? I couldn't give it to you when you wanted it, so you left me? How about I give it to you now, huh?"

He grinded against me pulling my robe apart, lifting my shirt underneath till it bunched above my chest. For the first time, his hands met my bare flesh under my bra as his mouth cruised my neck, biting roughly.

"I want you to hurt," he moaned, "I want you to hurt like I hurt." His hands fell and glided over my sides. They were rough and cold against my skin, but he dug his nails into me, again moaning, "_hurt!"_

Tears slid down my face and I felt the droplets spread across by bare chest. I couldn't move or speak, only feel and watch as Percy burned deeper into me than any ripping of my flesh could ever accomplish.

The tips of his fingers slid below the waits of my pants, but stopped and pressed themselves in place. His relentless grinding stopped, but he collapsed against me, and I felt a new sensation of wetness on my shoulder. His body shuddered as he spoke into me, muffling his words.

"I was supposed to have you. It wasn't supposed to end up like this. I wasn't supposed to end up like this. You were _mine!_ The only thing I ever had. You were the only thing I ever loved. Everything is always taken from me! I was never meant to be happy. I thought that you were the only thing that I had done right. I had you." His sobs broke his voice and the high pitched distraught expression I was used to from him returned. "I loved you! I _love_ you! How could you do this to me? How could not care about me at all? I gave my heart to you and you didn't even care. I didn't matter to you! We were perfect! _Perfect!_ You threw that away! You threw my love away and didn't care that it killed me. This..._This_ is not what I want to be. You don't know what a broken heart truly feels like..." He trailed off and his hands slipped to the collar of my robes, gripping them and pulling me closer to him.

"You...you're...you're a...a...a _bitch_! You goddamned bloody bitch! I hate you now! I'll never forgive you! Never! You'll pay. I swear that you will pay, and you will know the pain that you gave me. You'll suffer for as long as I love you. And bloody hell, the pain you'll feel won't even be half as much as my love for you kills me."

His hand clenched the back of my neck and pushed my head towards him to slam my mouth against his. It wasn't so much of a kiss as a burst of fury that turned my lips red and sore. Pulling my head back to glare into it one last time, he threw me to the side, my body collapsing against the floor as he disappeared into the darkness. From down the tunnel, two sparks of faint light erupted and my body fell limp, a shrill gasp escaping from my lips.

My fingers trembled as I pushed my clothes back into place and fumbled inside my robes for my wand. It clattered to the floor and I felt around the cold tiles until my palm fell over it.

"L...l...lumos..." The tunnel slightly lit around me and I left the wand lying on the ground beside me. My hands felt over all the places Percy had touched, almost trying to erase them with my fingertips.

I felt cold, thinking over what Percy had declared. His threats didn't worry me as much as the cause for them. Could he have really loved me as much as he said? He never showed it or expressed it. His feelings never seemed to slightly even mimic what Oliver and I shared.

Or could it have been that I just didn't recognize it, because I simply just didn't love him back? I never saw the signs because I didn't care to? Was I really as cold as he thought? Could it really be that the reason behind his hatred was not jealousy or anger, but heartbreak?

I tried to imagine how I would feel if Oliver had left me, how my heart would shatter and go cold. I tried to imagine Percy's life, shadowed by his siblings and their charisma. He had his grades but they had their lives. I was probably the closest thing Percy had ever gotten to their feverous lives.

But I left him. And I had ruined the perfection that Percy strived for. And even worse, I broke his heart. Knowing now what love was, I would never want to hurt anyone, especially Percy, in such a painful way. I did care for him, even if it wasn't the same way he cared for me.

Oliver was my true love, but I didn't mean that I wasn't Percy's; At least in some way.

I let my hand fall over the light from my wand, putting it out. Sitting in the darkness, trembling from terror and sorrow, I measured the weight of a broken heart, and what those shards would bring in Percy's wrath.


End file.
